Fated to Meet You
by Gong Yu-Jin
Summary: It was as long as history that the Senju and Uchiha rivalry was evident. Children of one were taught to kill the other. But why couldn't Senju Tobirama bring his sword across the Uchiha's neck when her blood was already trickling down from the wound. His scarlet eyes looked into her onyx ones that with all her strength masked her fear. TobiramaxOC. M rating just in case.
1. Chapter 1: Uchiha

Fated to Meet You

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Hi Friends! This is my first Fanfic, and I'm soo excited! Feel free to leave a review, and a follow, and a favorite. Lately, I've been obsessed with TobiramaxOC fanfics, and I was like "Why not write my own?!" So here it is!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.**

Synopsis: It was as long as history that the Senju and Uchiha rivalry was evident. Children of one were taught the kill the other. But why couldn't Senju Tobirama bring his sword across the Uchiha's neck when her blood was already trickling down from the wound. His scarlet eyes looked into her onyx ones that with all her strength masked her fear. TobiramaxOC. M rating just in case.

* * *

Chapter One: Uchiha

"Uchiha Mai! Get up!" The sternness that possessed each word caused the sleeping girl to wake up and immediately sit up in her futon. The sense of panic made the girl's onyx eyes dart right and left, and up and down at everything in her room. It took a few seconds until her eyes could see the fine lines engraved into the wooden floor panels. Too tired to even speak, the Uchiha child's dark eyes looked cautiously up from a pair of white socked feet to a blur that covered a woman's face in front of her. The woman, a fellow Uchiha herself, scowled with her own onyx eyes down at the young Uchiha. "It is already sunrise. Who do you think you are to sleep in?" The middle-aged woman did not waver the discipline that embraced each word as they came out of her mouth.

The girl, Mai, looked down to the brown wooden floors of her room, and blinked. Something was wrong. She was in her room, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was how this woman in front of her get into her home? Why would any Uchiha want to come to the outskirts of the Uchiha Village to see her? She was a mere, lone child. Was this person an Uchiha impersonator? No, she couldn't be. She had all the Uchiha characteristics to prove that: onyx eyes and ebony hair. However, this was the Warring States Period and anything could be possible. But how could she have known of Mai's name if she was an impostor?

Mai rarely went into the concentrated heart of the Uchiha Village; therefore, the woman in front of her was just as new to her as the majority of the clan was. "I-I apologize for my inconsiderate action." Mai apologized as clearly as she could. All the while, her throat constricted at every word. The dryness in the back of her throat did not recede even after swallowing her own saliva. With guard, Mai's onyx eyes looked up to the adult in front of her. The middle-aged woman's ebony hair was gathered into a tight bun behind her head and her onyx eyes had light crow's feet that extended out from the corners of her eyes. Mai couldn't tell whether or not the woman was frowning or if it was the effect of the lines on both sides of her mouth that made her look like she was.

The woman in front of girl internally scoffed at knowing why the girl looked up at her in such a way. "Get up. Elder Mio would like to speak with you." She said to prove her lineage.

Staring up at the woman, her memory played for her of Elder Mio and her always-present-right-hand-servant, Uchiha Ayaka- the woman in front of Uchiha Mai. Every Uchiha have seen at least a glimpse of the elders in their clan. Shedding off the guard, Mai immediately stood up with her eyes wide. "Y-Yes, of course." As she stood up, she ran her fingers through her long ebony hair in an attempt comb it. "I'll be right out, Miss Ayaka." Her onyx eyes were casted down at Ayaka's socked feet still in shock and embarrassment.

"You have five minutes. No later." was all the woman commanded before leaving with light thumps on wooden floor proving her experience as a maid.

"Yes. Thank you." Mai said softly with her eyes still to the ground, and she remained standing until she heard the house door close. When the door closed, the girl's forehead and brows furrowed in a moment of disappointment before she dashed into the washroom.

Upon finishing her hygiene business, Mai took one last look at herself before exiting. Like all Uchiha's, Uchiha Mai possessed long ebony hair, onyx eyes, and fair skin. Her face was small with soft definition, like smooth hills, and her jaw came to a dainty point of her chin. The only thing contradicting her inherited beauty were her eyes that held fatigue with the color of red mixed and swirled into the whites of them. One last time, Mai patted her eyes with fingers soaked with cold water before exiting the washroom. Walking out of her small home, Mai was faced with Ayaka. And she cast her eyes down immediately. It was as if the woman's onyx eyes seemed to constantly hold a constant scowl of discipline like a head and experience maid. "Let's go." Ayaka said softly like a maid but with the sternness of a teacher.

Mai, in response, nodded.

Ayaka took one last look at the Uchiha child before leading the way into the Uchiha Village. The maid could not help but scowl in disgrace at the child struck with poverty who was sent to meet with her beloved elder. Her dark blue kimono shirt had minor tears along the black hem and the blue fabric had been worn down to the shirt's last layer of dark blue thread. Her black pants that skimmed the shape of her thin, yet lean, legs had a small tear on her left calf. The only thing presentable was the beauty she'd gain from her mother but even that wasn't enough when her eyes carried the bags of insomnia.

Elder Mio had told Ayaka of a capable kunoichi given missions directly from Lord Tajima himself by the name Uchiha Mai. The next day, her elder asked her to bring Uchiha Mai to meet with her. She have not heard of a child named Uchiha Mai until she saw the child's sleeping face. That was when the image of Uchiha Yuna appeared in her mind and in front of her, for she was the spitting image of her mother. Uchiha Yuna unlike her child but like many- if not all- Uchiha women were kept within the walls of the Uchiha Village and away from the battlefield of wars. That wasn't uncommon here in the Warring States Period. In a time when death was more prominent than life, women's primary role was to have and care for children, especially if they were of a shinobi clan. Rarely were they ever sent out to the battlefield. The Uchiha Clan was one of the most strongest shinobi clans in the world. And to keep the clan's renown name, and more importantly its blood, children were needed. However, if a female Uchiha was capable to fight for the clan, she was put on the field. That, however, is a slim to none chance for any women in the Uchiha Clan- especially at the odds of Uchiha men. The only exceptional kunoichi she knew of who defied those odds was her mistress, Elder Mio.

Walking into the Uchiha Village, Ayaka guided Mai to the home of Elder Uchiha Mio. Out of all the six Uchiha Elders, Elder Mio was the only female. In her youth, the female elder was renown throughout the nation and beyond as an accomplished kunoichi. And with her name, along with many others, the Uchiha Clan held the revered power of strength throughout the world- next to the Senju of course.

The light thumping on the smooth, dustless floor stopped when they haulted in front of a papered door. Ayaka cleared her throat before announcing her and Mai's arrival. "Elder Mio, Uchiha Mai is here."

There was a long pause before a response was said from the other side. "Let her in."

Following her elder's order, Ayaka slid the papered door open revealing a tea room. In front of the company, Elder Mio sat behind a low wooden table with a cup of tea in hand. Ayaka glanced at Mai signalling her to go in, and Mai carefully walked in. It was Mai's first formal encounter with the renown and respected Uchiha kunoichi and elder. She could feel something build up under her chest and her heart beating fast. Bowing, Mai greeted the elder. "Elder Mio."

"Sit." The elder gestured to the empty pillow seat in front of her with a cup of steaming tea set on the table as if for company.

Mai complied to the command and seated herself in front of the elder. "Thank you, Elder Mio." Mai thanked with her eyes casted down onto the murky, light brown water in the cup.

The elder hummed before initiating the conversation. "I believe this is my first time meeting you." She sipping her tea. Her eyes only leaving Mai's face when she drank her tea. "I have to say, I didn't know Uchiha Ryou and Uchiha Yuna had a child."

Mai's onyx eyes looked up to the female elder. It had been so long since she'd heard those names from another mouth. "Many people don't know." With her eyes remaining on the elder, Mai waited for the elder to speak again. Through the elder's lines, she could see that she was once a beautiful kunoichi, but time had done its job and aged her. Her skin had sagged making her cheekbones point prominently on her thin, wrinkled face. Her fine Uchiha hair remained black but some had grayed, and it was up in a bun, not too tight but also not too loose, behind her head; and above her left brow, there was faded scar the length of a needle. The only things that looked as if time had not touched were her eyes. They looked as if they remained the same immortal, onyx black- stark, observant, and calm- for years.

"How old are you?" The elder asked; although, she already had a hunch for the child's age.

"Fifteen," Mai answered bringing her eyes up to meet the elder's.

"Is that so." Elder Mio's hand, although her eyes were fixed on the child in front of her, felt for the scroll by her right knee.

.

 _"An assassination mission on a scholar and his inner circle." Elder Mio concluded before putting the white scroll down. "Who gave us this mission? And for what price?" She looked at the faces of the other five elder's in the circle._

 _"Lord Atsuchiyo of the Land of Steel did." An elderly man with a frown said. "He has evidence to believe that one of his scholars is leading a coup against him." The elderly man crossed his arms over his chest. "The scholar's and his inner circle's names are all in the scroll."_

 _"Has this mission been accepted by Lord Tajima?" The elder to Elder Mio's left asked._

 _"Yes." Another elder answered. "The pay was like no other and was accepted with gratitude, especially when we're in this kind of state in the Clan." That was true. The Uchiha Clan had gone a full month with limited missions because of Lord Tajima's declining health from a battle wound. No shinobi were sent out unless needed, and that number was few to almost none a week._

 _Elder Mio let out a tiring sigh. "And who are we going to give this mission to? For such a price, the Uchiha Clan cannot afford to fail."_

 _"I would send Lord Madara to ensure the mission's success." One elder suggested but interjected. "However, we cannot do that in this time of… decline."_

 _"Lord Izuna will also need to stay within the walls." Another elder stated. "The presence of the young lords give the Uchiha shinobi the moral support needed."_

 _"Hikaku?" The elder with crossed arms suggested._

 _"Hikaku may be strong, but there is another Uchiha who has experience in assassination and reconnaissance." An elder stated openly. "Lord Tajima assigns her, her missions himself." This elder's response caught the attention of the other five._

 _"Her? A female?"_

 _"And who might that be?" Elder Mio asked with interest._

 _"Uchiha Ryou's daughter." The same elder answered. "I believe her name is Uchiha Mai."_

 _There was silence of disbelief in the room, and the silence prolonged until the elder on the lone female's left broke it. "I didn't know Uchiha Ryou had a child."_

 _"That's understandable." The same elder who spoke of Uchiha Mai said. "Orphaned children aren't given much attention to."_

 _Elder Mio slightly nodded her head at the memory of Uchiha Ryou and his beloved wife. "And how do you know of her?" Elder Mio asked._

 _The elder's wrinkled face held a smug grin. "It was fairly easy to find her. She lives in the outskirts of the village where there aren't many eyes." The elder answered. "Lord Tajima uses her skills on many recon and assassination missions because he knows she's skilled. Perhaps, almost as you were in your youth, Mio." He then went on to add. "If not more."_

 _"...Is that so." Was all Elder Mio said with no interest while she traced her memory for any of Uchiha Ryou and his family._

 _ **.**_

Elder Mio set the white scroll in front the Uchiha child. She gestured for Mai to open the scroll, and Mai complied. Respectfully, the girl took the scroll with both her calloused and thin hands off the table. Slowly opening the scroll, the girl's eyes moved right to left. "...An assassination mission." She rolled the scroll back to its original shape

"You must be skilled if Lord Tajima personally sends you to a number of the clan's assassination and recon missions." Elder Mio stated. "Although Lord Tajima is normally the one to give you missions directly, he isn't in the right…health right now to be up." Elder Mio said while observing the young girl in front of her. She had to acknowledge the girl was the spitting image of her mother.

Uchiha Yuna was no kunoichi, but Uchiha Ryou, on the other hand, was. Her father was moderately well known in the clan as a shinobi. She'd seen the husband and wife a few occasions before their deaths and knew of them fairly well through the mouths of her maids- although they were jealous mouths. Yuna was well known throughout the clan as one of the beauties of her generation, and Elder Mio could not agree more. Although Yuna, like her daughter, did not have defined facial bones, the smooth definitions on their small faces were what made her and her daughter appear youthful, and the simplicity the mother and daughter possessed were what made them beautifully unique compared to other women within and beyond the Uchiha Clan. However, Mio couldn't help but notice the signs of fatigue in and under the girl's eyes. Her stark, onyx eyes narrowed at the sight of them.

"I recommend for you to leave by sundown today if you want to reach the Land of Steel on time for their annual festival." She took a sip of her tea. "I heard it's beautiful sight."

"Yes, Elder Mio." Mai nodded with her eyes casted down. "I will be taking my leave." Mai bowed her head and stood up.

The female elder watched as the young girl began walking toward the papered door: the white scroll in her right hand, the tear on her left calf, and the worned blue kimono shirt she wore that bore no Uchiha Symbol. Her footsteps filled the air with light thumps. "I trust in your ability to complete this mission, Uchiha Mai." Elder Mio watched for any sign of reaction.

Mai's entire stature froze until she turned around to face the elder. "You will not be disappointed, Elder Mio." Mai reassured before bowing, sliding the papered door open and shut, and leaving.

* * *

Thank you for reading! Please tell me in the reviews how the story's going for you.


	2. Chapter 2: The Mission-The Land of Steel

Fated to Meet You

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

You know when English Teachers tell you that writers can literally break any grammar rule when writing a book. Yeah, I didn't want to say it but that's true. Lol. I tried soo hard to not break a rule and to have it still give the story the feeling I wanted to give, but it didn't work. But yes, anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please leave with a follow, a favorite, and/or a review! I would love to know your critic, and if you're liking this story!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.**

* * *

Chapter Two: The Mission- The Land of Steel

Mai felt as if her ebony haired head was absorbing all the heat the sun had given the land for the entire day. It was the middle of summer and cicadas sang as the young Uchiha lightly stepped onward on the dirt paved road. Her eyes were casted down onto the brown dirt road, and her sweat glued her black hair onto the back of her thin neck. Although Elder Mio recommended her to leave at sundown, Mai left three hours after her meeting with the female elder. Checking the small bag of necessities hanging at her waist underneath her dark blue kimono shirt, she touched the white scroll given to her just three hours prior.

Many of the people she'd passed by on the road talked about their intended emigration to the Land of Steel. The Land of Steel was a small country just north of the Land of Fire. It had one major village, Steel Village, that was the only place of its land for trade and tourism. The rest of the country consisted of farmland and small villages. The country was a resourceful land and its economy gave the landowners and entrepreneurs a lavishing life. Like the name, the country focused on steel goods; and in a time of constant war, money was always flowing into the country. That was all Mai knew of the Land of Steel, but she could see why a scholar would want to take the position of 'Daimyo' in a such a resourceful land.

When she reached home, Mai opened the white scroll once more and read its content with more attention. The scholar attempting the coup was Scholar Kihito and his inner circle of four: Scholar Satoh, Scholar Akiyama, Minister Takaru, and Teacher Yotei. All of whom own large amounts of the land in the Land of Steel- Scholar Kihito the greatest. The Land of Steel has an annual festival held in Steel Village to thank the gods for giving the people abundant amounts of minerals for steel. Almost everyone residing in the Land of Steel and the surrounding states knew of the Steel Festival. The festival was scheduled in two days, but from where Mai was, she expected to reach Steel Village by high sun tomorrow. She took in account that if Scholar Kihito were to find out that the Daimyo, Lord Atsuchiyo, had hired the Uchiha Clan to assassinate him, he'd surely hire the Senju Clan for protection. This was something Mai had to be cautious of.

Many of Mai's missions composed of individual assassination and reconnaissance. Her missions were in the backdrop overshadowed by the Uchiha shinobi that fought in the front, Lord Madara being the prominent one of them. Because of that, she rarely encountered shinobi. But that didn't mean that she never encountered them. To her knowledge, no ninja alive knew of her existence in the world- an attribute Lord Tajima preferred she have for the benefit of the Uchiha Clan. Many times her Sharingan gave her the escape she needed when she met shinobi on the battlefield. Kunoichi's were rare in the Warring States Period because females lacked the physical trait of being a shinobi. Many clans preferred women to stay behind walls and do their duty and bear children- this was the Warring States Period and children were limited. Lord Tajima believed throwing someone onto the battlefield with only the Sharingan and no fighting ability was futile, like giving the enemy a piece of your own food. He had no reason to be against females on the battlefield fighting for the Uchiha Clan, but he preferred them to be behind the main stage of the battles and have the ability to physically fight. He believed women made one of the best and exceptional spies. And when he saw Mai's fresh Sharingan eyes, he knew immediately where to put her and how to train her. When he looked into the six year old's eyes, he could see the new generation of Uchiha Clan with his sons leading it.

* * *

The Land of Steel is well known throughout the world as a place untouched by the constant wars and fighting, which Mai found funny because the Land of Steel thrived from the ongoing wars. Many families fled to the Land of Steel for both economic and safety reasons. It's peaceful image was just second behind the samurai land of the Land of Iron. When Mai reached Steel Village, her first destination was an inn with a hot spring, and the first thing she noticed was the massive population the major village held. Men, women, and children walked through the busy streets; entrepreneurs and workers yelled at the top of their lungs to meet the ears of customers; and, what caught Mai's attention the most, large extravagant buildings in the distance. If one could draw a line through the village, it would be in-between the large homes that had balconies and were surrounded by small, bright green leaf trees; and the smaller almost box looking buildings on the other side. The economic divide was predominantly evident.

Mai exhaled as she sunk into the hot bath water. Her breath merged with the steam that floated in the air. The scorching water soothed her stiff muscles, loosened her fair skin, and released the dirt hidden in the neat engravings on her skin. Leaning her head back onto the stone edge, she took and exhaled a deep breath of relaxation. Lifting her arms above the scorching hot water, Mai looked at her thin, lean arms- she was always too small for her age, then to her fairly calloused hands. She stared at her hands with complication; she had five targets and only one of her. The Clone Jutsu was of no use because the clones had no body mass. Luck was on her side to have the Land of Steel's annual Steel Festival tomorrow, but she still couldn't find a way to silently complete her mission. Uchiha Mai also took in consideration of the chance of shinobi bodyguards- whether they be the Senju or not- and of the chance of Scholar Kihito knowing of his entire circle's assassination. Bodyguard missions usually comprised of a team of four or more. Her only chance to complete her mission was during the Steel Festival, where the crowded streets could hide her.

After one of her recent assassination missions, Mai felt shinobi nearby and left as quickly and quietly as she could. It turned out the shinobi were Senju's when the Uchiha met face to face with one who had gone astray from her family in search of the unknown presence she sensed. To Mai's suprise, the Senju was a girl. It took Mai weeks to calm herself after what happened in this battle. The female Senju, who looked only a couple years older than Mai, possessed a piercing brown stare that only soften the slightest- to fear- when the Senju noticed Mai's Sharingan eyes. What haunted Mai the most was not the Senju's but her own drive to kill the Senju kunoichi she'd never met- someone that had done no wrong to her. The split second of panic allowed the Senju to slash Mai's left arm before Mai pierced a katana through a major artery. The bloody sight did nothing to calm Mai and her shaking hands. Looking down at her left arm just off her shoulders, Mai saw a part of the pink-almost-white line of a scar on her fair Uchiha skin before she sunk herself deeper into the hot bath water until it touched her cheeks.

Closing her eyes, she let the gears in her head churn.

"Poison." Mai mumbled in the water.

* * *

The festival had already begun a couple hours after sunrise, and it was already midday. Children ran across the street with dango's in hand and girls around Mai's age wore light colored kimono's. One group of girls in particular caught Mai's attention. Their light colored kimono's glistened in some angles of light and were brought together with gold thread. It was the girl in middle of the group who kept glancing at Mai that led Mai stop, who was on her way to start her plan. The girl's gray eyes looked at Mai's dark blue kimono shirt with a superiority aura.

"Kaori! What are you looking at?" A girl within the group asked the gray eyed girl in the middle before tracing her eyes to Mai. "Oh." She too looked at Mai's shirt, and Mai could feel the heat climb up her neck.

The girl, Kaori, walked towards Mai. Physically looking down on Mai- she was half a head taller than the kunoichi, and she extended her hand that held a bag. "Carry this for me."

Speechless and unsure at what to do, Mai felt her hands unknowingly encase the handle of the girl's bag. Only realizing her action when the girl smiled smugly and walked away. Glancing at the other young girls, who were beginning to turn around while giggling, before unknowingly following behind them all. It was in her nature to follow and fulfill. She followed Lord Tajima's orders. She followed Elder Mio's orders. And right now, she was following this girl's order.

When the group of girls began walking into the area of large homes. Mai remembered her priorities. "Um-"

"I know." The blonde haired, gray eyed girl, Kaori, looked down at Mai's blue kimono shirt. "It's a privilege for you to be here, isn't it?" The way the sentence came out of her mouth proved the girl used it many times. So much as that it sounded so second nature, so normal, coming out of her mouth.

Mai did nothing but keep her mouth shut and walked on. She was heading here anyway.

"Kaori! When will we see the shinobi men again?" A girl asked.

Mai's ears perked up and onyx eyes glanced to the girl that asked the question. _Shinobi men?_

"They went with my father. I doubt they'll be back anytime soon though." Kaori sighed. "You know, with the festival going on."

"Shinobi men?" Mai said her thoughts from the back of the group peering through to the front.

The group of girls glanced back at her. "Yeah," one of the girls answered. "Kaori's father hired shinobi men to protect him from muggers and bandits during the festival."

"Her father's Scholar Kihito. Don't you know?"

Mai looked at the gray eyed girl, who looked at her with her chin up, with a slightly ajar mouth. "...I know." Mai lied slowly.

Kaori clicked her tongue. "You should know." She said before turning around and led the group through a large gate that encased an even larger home.

"Lady Kaori!" A middle-aged woman welcomed at the door and bowed five times, one for every girl in the group, before stopping to look at Mai.

"Ignore her, Mamiko." Kaori said as she walked into the home. "She can put my bag in my room. But you bring me water."

"Yes, Lady Kaori." Mamiko bowed after taking a small, long glance at Mai.

The group of girls walked into the large home leaving Mai outside. A long moment later, Mai slowly stepped into the large estate with the girl's bag in hand. _Her father is Scholar Kihito_. Mai thought. Her eyes moved left to right glancing over every dusted jar and painting. _So this must be the Kihito Estate._

Uchiha Mai always followed and fulfilled a command- it was in her nature. From a putting a purse into a room to completing a mission. She followed and fulfilled.

* * *

Mai watched as Scholar Satoh's body created ripples in the dark lake; the moon's reflection distorts at every movement as the body floated towards the middle of the body of water. When she pushed her first kill into a body of water, the cold feeling, colder than the lake itself, never left her hands until months later. But now, Mai didn't feel anything. That is, anything on her hands.

She already killed Teacher Yotei and Minister Takaru before Scholar Satoh. There was only Scholar Kihito and Scholar Akiyama left, and Mai figured by now they would know they were being targeted. But to her surprise, her last three kills had no shinobi bodyguards. Almost as if it was only Scholar Kihito who knew that Lord Atsuchiyo's hired an assassin and hired himself shinobi bodyguards for protection. He either knew or he had a hunch. Either way, he didn't tell his circle.

Walking away, she untied her thin, black obi and took of her wet, blue kimono shirt revealing her netted, black undershirt. The bursting of fireworks in the clear night sky in the background caught Mai's attention. As much as Mai did not want to relate it to the sound to paper bombs, she did. She let out a breath at the sky before taking a maroon kimono shirt off of a nearby laundry line and replacing it with her wet, dark blue one before walking towards the lit up streets.

Bells rang in no specific beat along with the drumming of drums, but everything still sounded soothing. And although people crowded the streets with chatter and claps, they were also mesmerized by the fireworks bursting above them. With people mesmerized by the fireworks, Mai was able to make her way through the crowded streets to stand near the side with large and lavishing homes. There she stood like any other tourist looking up at the night sky where flowers of light bursts. She tugged at the new, maroon kimono shirt's arm's hem while her onyx eyes were glued to the night sky. Her attention stayed on the sky until a flash of white in her peripheral vision caught her attention. Mai turned to see the source of white: a man's head. There was nothing odd of a head of white. The hair of men and women slowly turn white with time. But what was odd was that the head of white hair belonged to a young man's body. His broad shoulders held the firmness that only muscles could give and he walked with ease- unlike an elder. Mai's onyx eyes stared at the man's head of white hair as he walked away, his shoes clicking on the dirt at each step. An unnerving feeling crept its way into Mai; her intestines felt as if they were twisting into knots inside her as she stared at the man's black clothed back. But the large boom of fireworks brought Mai's eyes back to the sky, ridding her of the unnerving feeling. Turning back, the white haired man was nowhere to be seen. And the unnerving feeling deepened.

 **. . .**

"Have you sent word to Scholar Satoh about the meeting." Scholar Akiyama quietly asked his right-hand servant walking beside him.

"I have." The servant replied. "He should have received it already."

"Alright." The scholar replied. "Get me some tea."

The servant lowered his head to the demand, turned the opposite direction, and walked off.

Sliding the papered door open, Scholar Akiyama entered his dark office. He sighed disappointingly. "I thought I told you to have a candle lit for me every time when I return." He hissed. The scholar turned and slid the door close.

"He did."

Scholar Akiyama's eyes widen with bewilderment at the foreign voice before turning around slowly with the same look in his eyes. Through the darkness and shadows of the room, he could see a small figure standing by the window off to the left side of his study. The occasional firework would allow light in through the window, and he could see person's silhouette a little more clearly. But before terror could scream through his eyes, he'd already made eye contact with Sharingan eyes.

 **. . .**

"I hired you Senju's to protect me! And you couldn't do one, single task!" Scholar Kihito exclaimed with his hands waving uncontrollably in the air after he'd just slam a door open.

"You are alive, aren't you?" A dark haired man in shinobi gear quietly stated behind his white haired Team Captain.

Scholar Kihito opened his mouth to speak but closed it. Taking one deep breath to sooth his rising anger, he pinched the bridge of his nose "Yotei found dead with a punctured artery. Takaru found dead stabbed in his study. Satoh found dead in the lake." Scholar Kihito listed. His rage doubling after each name. "Where is Akiyama!" He roared. "Send word to Akiyama now!" He'd warned his circle of the chance of assassination and urged them to hire bodyguards for the festival, but they all reassured him that they would stay home and be protected through the building of their estate. _Those idiots!_

Senju Tobirama turned away from his client to prevent any of his irritation from showing. He never worked well with people- especially those with a superiority complex.

"Kaori! Bring me my tea!" The scholar ordered his daughter.

"Yes, father!" Tobirama heard a female's voice through the cream colored walls of Scholar Kihito's estate.

Tobirama slightly narrowed his scarlet eyes on his client. He internally cursed the Senju elders who accepted this mission. Hashirama was still in his first year of leading the Senju Clan after the death of their father; and as a brother, he felt the need to stay by his brother's side. Yes, the clan was in need of money and to secure the success of this mission they sent Tobirama to lead it, but was this particular mission worth it? The man was planning a coup against one of the most stable countries in the Warring States Period. The world has had more than enough betrayal within Tobirama's life so far, yet it didn't seem to stop.

"I want my old one! Heat it up!" The Scholar added. One thing Tobirama learned from his short stay in the Kihito Estate was that his client did not like wasting tea- an odd characteristic Tobirama found in well-pocketed man. Scholar Kihito sat down and squeezed the bridge of his nose. The two Senju's noticed their client's shoulders shake up and down. "...He killed all three of them." He laughed with ninety percent air, sounding like he was wheezing.

Tobirama's red eyes looked at the scholar. He looked back to his teammate, Jun, behind him who was also staring at the laughing scholar but turned to look at his team captain. The two Senju's exchanged words silently without opening their mouths before Jun nodded his head and turned to leave.

"Father, I have your tea." Kaori walked into the room with a tray of tea, an almost translucent white cloud floating above the teapot. Her gray eyes glanced shyly at Tobirama before turning to her father.

Tobirama watched as Scholar Kihito's daughter poured her father tea. Immediately, the scholar began drinking gulp after gulp. Scholar Kihito's daughter took one more glance at Tobirama before exiting the room.

As if his previous actions was a phase, the scholar lightly tapped his mouth with a white cloth- regaining his calm composure. "And you're positive that the assassin won't come near me."

"I can assure you that you are being heavily guarded." Tobirama informed the man.

Scholar Kihito puckered his lips. "I hope so." He said before taking a sip of his tea.

It was about half-an-hour later when Tobirama noticed the scholar struggle to breathe and swallow. For that, he took another sip of his tea as aid. Moments later, the scholar ceased breathing completely.

* * *

"Jun!" Tobirama called while he felt for any sign of Scholar Kihito's pulse: none.

Jun appeared at the door. "Yes, Team Captain." He said. His brown eyes settled on the scholar on the ground, and immediately he knew. "I-There was no one for the past half-hour."

"I know." Tobirama said. His red eyes eyed the tea on the table. "Poison." But what Tobirama did not know was why the man began to show the symptoms after half-an-hour. He knew of no such poison that didn't show symptoms immediately.

"Do you-" Jun began but was cut off by the presence of his other teammates, Senju Takeshi and Senju Kaito.

"The servant that was sent to Scholar Akiyama came back. He said Scholar Akiyama was found dead in his office." Senju Takeshi informed.

"What?" Jun said. "H-How?" He looked at his teammates with his brown eyes wide with confusion.

"He had no external injuries. I went to check." Kaito said. "The trace was small, but there was a very slight trace of foreign chakra on the man."

"Genjutsu." Tobirama concluded and stood up.

"Should we go after the man?" Takeshi asked.

"No." Tobirama replied. "He's probably on his way to the border already."

"Are we going to inform the family?" Kaito asked.

Tobirama's red eyes glanced from the body of Scholar Kihito to his teammates. The completion of this mission was vital for the Senju Clan. Scholar Kihito offered a large sum of money for his protection, and the Senju Clan failed him. "I'm going to find the assassin." Tobirama said. "You three will stay here and inform the family. If I come back with the assassin, there still might be a sum of money given to the Senju Clan."

"Team Captain," Jun said. "Are you sure that's-"

Tobirama held a hand up to his teammate. "The Senju Clan is depending on this mission. You know that."

Jun visibly gave in to the indirect order. "Yes, sir." He did not doubt his team captain. His team captain was renown for his speed and sensory. He'd seen it many times while working with him. But it was the uncertainty of the assassin that bothered him and the number of assassins, if there was. But his team captain looked so sure it was only one person.

Kaito and Takeshi nodded.

* * *

Mai kept her path straight towards the border with no rest stops, and she chose the wise path. Not even hour after leaving Steel Village, even with her lack in sensory, she could feel someone speeding towards her- someone powerful. Pushing more chakra to her feet, she sped up. Still, she felt the person's presence nearing her bit by bit. In the dark, the small leaves slapped her face as she fled through the trees. She couldn't believe anyone could be this fast. Scholar Kihito should've just died almost half an hour ago. Then the image of the man with white hair hit her, and her eyes widened. That explained the unnerving feeling. He was following her, but that was impossible, wasn't it? The man couldn't have caught up to her this fast, could he? But he'd already have, and Mai didn't have time to question herself. Looking forward into the dimly lit trees she pushed her chakra to her eyes. In a pulse, she could see how far the man was, and his speeding body gaining ground against her. The Land of Fire was an hour or two more away, but Mai wasn't planning on entering that state. For Lord Tajima's and the Uchiha Clan's sake, she couldn't let the man find her identity. Therefore, she fled slightly to the left- away from the Land of Fire.

The ground became more steep as time went on, and Mai became slower. But it seemed as if the man behind her kept his speed. Knowing fairly well that a confrontation was the only chance of escape, Mai made one last jump off a tree and landed on the stiff ground. She tightened the thin black obi around her waist and tied her dark ebony hair up into a tail before turning to face her follower. She was certain it was the white haired man. Her gut feeling was telling her, and gut feelings are never wrong. Draining the chakra away from her eyes, her red Sharingan eyes faded into onyx. The characteristics of Uchiha's- onyx eyes and ebony hair- was shared to many other clans such as the Hagoromo. The only definite characteristic of Uchiha's were the Sharingan, and Mai took it away. It only took Mai a breath before the white haired Senju appeared in front of her standing in the trees. In the dark, his white haired reflected the moon above. He had armor on over the black attire she previously saw him in.

"Who are you!" The man boomed. It wasn't a question nor was it a command.

Still, Mai kept her stance and stared at the man, as he did with her.

The white haired man unsheathed his katana, and Mai reached for her kunai knife. In an instant, the sound of metal clashing metal echoed through the night sky bathed trees.

* * *

 **A/N (AGAIN)**

I just named the village 'Steel Village' because I didn't know what to call the village, especially in Japanese. Lol. Sound kinda funny/weird, but it's okay, right?


	3. Chapter 3: Start

Fated to Meet You

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

I'm finally back! Yay! I'm soo sorry for postponing Chapter Three until now. I know it's been a while, but it's summer now! Yay, again! That means consistent uploads- hopefully lol. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Definitely feel free to leave a follow, a favorite, and/or a review! I would love to know your critic, and how the story is going for you.

Also! I edited and fixed the first/past two chapters. I felt like there were too many useless words that made the story hard to understand so I took some words out or made a new and understandable sentence(s), and I also added more sentences to explain more in depth of some things: for example Lord Tajima's views. If you already read the original two chapters before you don't have to read them again because it still follows the plot.

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.**

* * *

Chapter Three: Start

It didn't take long for Mai to become trapped between the white haired man and a tree. To keep her still, his katana nicked at her neck and remained at her neck. The towering, white haired man in front of her stood more than a head taller than her. His red eyes held no remorse for the small child. The moon's light illuminated his white hair like snow and hid Mai's dark ones. Fear was evident in the air, and Mai fought with herself to keep her onyx eyes steady. She wished that she could end the battle quickly with her Sharingan but not only did she want to keep her identity a secret, she also no longer had enough chakra to deliver an efficient jutsu. Even then, she doubted she could cast a genjutsu strong enough for her to escape- like the one she did on Scholar Akiyama- because although she lacked in sensory, she could feel the man's enormous chakra prowess, and that was more than enough to tell her that even at full strength, her genjutsu might not even open an escape for her.

She could feel the tingling sensation from her neck. When Mai looked for any chance of escape, the man stiffened his grip on his sword, and she involuntarily stiffened her neck. She was really going to die here. The thought of it frightened her. Thinking that the man would drag his sword across her neck, she had already nearly accepted death. But instead he swung his sword in the opposite direction away from Mai. Out of desperation, she concluded that her Sharingan was her only escape, but before she could bring enough chakra up to her eyes, the man immediately reversed his direction and hit the side of the girl's head with the hilt of his katana.

Tobirama knew there was only one person behind the assassinations. The killings seemed to have happened too far apart for it to be a group attempt. But he didn't think the assassin would be a girl, more precisely a child. She barely stood as tall as his shoulders, but in-between the few minutes of their battle, he noticed she wasn't to be entirely underestimated. He doubt the girl would tell him her clan name, but he could care less about that. Still, he was curious. What clan would send a girl out into the field? Her ebony hair, onyx eyes, and fair skin characteristics appeared in a number of shinobi clans ranging from the Hagoromo to the Uchiha. He highly doubted that she was an Uchiha because, like many clans, Uchiha's rarely ever put women out in the battle field. However, whether she was an Uchiha or not, Tobirama was more concern with the survival of his clan and turning the assassin over to the Kihito Family assumed that position and importance. Picking up the unconscious girl on the dirt ground and lifting her over his shoulders, Tobirama headed full speed back to Steel Village.

 **. . .**

"Team Captain!" Jun said. His brown eyes widened at the body hanging over his white haired captain's shoulders, and a slight tug of a smile fought with his lips.

"That's the assassin?" Kaito questioned to his surprise. He highly doubted that the assassin who killed Scholar Akiyama was a girl. When his Team Captain walked closer, Kaito asked, "Do we just turn her into the family?"

"Yes," Tobirama answered. "Did you inform the family?"

"Yes, we did." Kaito answered. "They will pay half the original amount discussed for the assassin."

Walking into the estate, Tobirama set the girl down on the ground. The pay was just enough for the entire Senju Clan to survive for half a month alone; and although it didn't fit Tobirama's jurisdiction, he still accepted it. His red eyes glanced at Scholar Kihito's daughter sitting by her father's cold body. She didn't look like she was finished shedding tears. Her gray eyes looked at the girl he brought into her home and slightly widened with recognition.

"...That's the assassin?" The Kihito daughter asked, her voice nasal due to her tears while she glanced at the white haired man and then looked down at the unconscious assassin on the ground. The recognition in her eyes began to fade, she wiped the tears away from her cheeks, and stood up. Her gray eyes rolled back to the hired shinobi, this time her eyes held nothing but a calm composure.

"Yes," Tobirama answered.

"Mamiko, bring them the payment!"

* * *

The throbbing pain on the side of Mai's head slithered her into consciousness. Bringing a hand up to the left side of her head, she pressed into the skin as if to prevent the pain from spreading. She had not yet opened her eyes because the bright light that managed seep through her eyelids blinded her.

"Well," a familiar female voice began. "You've finally decided to wake up."

Slowly sitting up, she let her head hang while she cracked her eyes open bit by bit to allow her eyes to adjust before slowly looking up to the living body of Kihito Kaori in front of her. Bathed in the sunlight, she was dressed in a fine silk kimono. Glancing behind the standing girl, Mai's eyes landed on the large window that let the access light in.

"Tsch. Escaping is impossible." Kaori scoffed. "I have my guards stationed everywhere."

Bringing her eyes back to the girl, Mai kept her mouth shut. Or rather, looking was the only thing she had the energy for right now.

"What are you? A mute?" The fatherless girl began and she lowered her upper body to peer down at the black haired girl. "A barbaric mute that killed my father!?"

Mai could see the girl's jaw shake but she remained silent while she stared up at the girl and as the throbbing pain pounded inside her head.

Kaori began to laugh hysterically, bellowing her laughter out as if she'd lost control of her mind. Stepping closer to her father's assassin, she said, " _I let you into my house._ " Her voice hard. " _And you betray me by killing my father!_ " Bringing her hand up in the air, she slashed it across Mai's face before Mai could even block.

The right side of Mai's body slammed into the wooden floors of the estate. A shock electrified throughout her entire body causing her to curl up, but Mai felt as if something was missing. Rubbing the right side of her body, Mai winced in pain as she sat back up. What was missing?

 _...The mission scroll!_

She had hidden the white mission scroll inside her shirt on the right side right below the curve of her breast before leaving Steel Village last night. Looking back up at the fatherless girl, the gray eyed girl had anger written all over her face: from her sharp dagger-like-eyes to her clenched jaw. There was no sign of her having the scroll or having any knowledge of the scroll. She wouldn't have called her just 'barbaric' if she knew of Mai's name.

"The Daimyo will never forgive you! I will never forgive!" Kaori screeched and screamed in the background.

But all Mai could think of were the consequences if the white haired shinobi she'd encountered found the scroll. _Did he find it after?_ Mai asked herself. Her eyes scanned the wooden floors as if the answer was there. Her identity would be discovered. One of the Uchiha's hidden weapon in the Warring States Period would be found out. A failure to not only to Lord Tajima but to the entire Uchiha Clan.

" _You!_ " The Kihito girl's voice hard.

Mai immediately looked up to the girl. Her attention given to the mad girl.

But before the girl could go on, a knock on the door along with a voice interrupted her. "Lady Kaori, the Royal Guards are here."

Kaori's mouth formed a fine line while she eyes remained hard on her father's assassin. Stomping out of the room, Kaori threw the door open. As the door opened, Mai saw the familiar, middle-aged servant from before. The door closed but Mai's eyes remained on the portal. She had a feeling there were guards stationed behind the door. Leaning her head back onto the wall behind her as if to the ease the dizziness and pain, the Uchiha child slowly attempted to slow her breathing. The cool breeze from the window did nothing to ease her pain and worries. Leaning her entire weight onto the wall, she turned her head to face the window. Everything gave her pain: the light pained her eyes, the wind pained her head, and her breathing pained her sides. Gripping at her right side, she slowly inhaled and exhaled. The sound of hammer on wood could be heard in the distance, and only that soothed her.

She was so spellbound in her journey to ease her pain and worries that she did not notice someone enter until that person spoke. "You've been unconscious for an entire night and morning." A female voice said, and immediately, Mai turned her head to face the person. The pain and dizziness came soon after, and she winced. In front of her sat the middle-aged servant she saw the day before. She was wearing the same dark blue kimono as the day before, and her brown hair was gathered into a bun behind her head. In her hand, she held the familiar, white mission scroll. Mai looked up to the woman's face and then back to the white scroll.

Noticing the girl's interest in the scroll in her hand, Mamiko dropped the scroll into the space between them. "The shinobi men left last night." She gestured Mai to take the scroll.

Mai didn't reach for the scroll immediately but waited a few seconds after. With all her strength, Mai reached for the white scroll and set it down on her lap.

"You're lucky they didn't see this. Especially that white haired one." The servant said.

Mai listened and watched the middle-aged servant with her eyes open and ears perked. So the white haired man was the hired shinobi bodyguard for Scholar Kihito. That even more explained and corrected her unnerving feeling.

The servant didn't say anything after. But neither did she leave. Mamiko looked at the child. The girl was so small. Her black hair was a disheveled mess with stray hairs unbound from her tied tail. She had dirt on her face and the furrow of her brows showed the fact that she was in pain. She was just a child; a child that was paid to kill. _I guess that's the life of a shinobi._

When the servant did leave, only then did Mai hide the scroll safely back into her shirt.

Shortly after, the Land of Steel's Royal Guards bombarded into the room Mai resided in, and she was taken from the Kihito Estate to the Daimyo's. Lord Atsuchiyo was a rather skinny man, almost ill-looking. The hollows of his cheeks had sunken in and engulfed his entire face, and his graying hair made him look as if he's seen over seventy summers. His rich red kimono hanged off his thin and weak body. "If Mamiko had not told me about you, I would not have known." His raspy voice did nothing but prove his old age, and a sickly smile formed on the Daimyo's face. "...I always knew Uchiha's were more exceptional than Senju's." The Daimyo whipped out his fan with his thin, wrinkled fingers.

Kneeling in front of the Daimyo, Mai silently watched and listened. Her eyes laid blankly on the Daimyo's feet out of respect.

The Daimyo's dark eyes looked at the Uchiha girl. "Is it just you?" He asked. He continued to fan himself.

"Yes, Lord Atsuchiyo."

The Daimyo exhaled in awe. "Talented and beautiful. My…You Uchiha's are as beautiful as they say. It's a shame you all have the wrong blood." The Daimyo commented and continued to fan himself. "Tell me, what are these 'red eyes' everyone associates with you Uchiha's?" He tried squinted into Mai's onyx eyes that were directed at his feet. "If you care to share."

Raising her onyx eyes to the Daimyo, Mai replied, "I'm sorry, Lord Atsuchiyo. I don't quite know what you're talking about." She lied. Every Uchiha stressed the secrecy of their kekkei-genkai, the Sharingan. No man outside the clan was suppose to know of its abilities, and Mai followed the rule. Very few survivors had seen of the Sharingan and word spread throughout the land of their kekkei-genkai. Some true, some not.

The Daimyou sighed in disappointment. "Of course, you're a girl." Clicking his fan shut, he exhaled sharply, almost too sharply that it sounded like it could pierce through his fragile chest. "The late Scholar Kihito's daughter wants you executed." He returned to business.

Mai kept her eyes leveled on the Daimyo. Death seemed to be closer to her a lot today.

"But I would rather not have the blood of an Uchiha on my hands. After all, I would like to use your clan again in the future." The elderly Daimyo said and leaned back into his seat. "You, however," he pointed at Mai. "can never set foot on the Land of Steel ever again."

Letting the the words flow into her head through the gears, Mai let out a relaxed and steady breathe. "Thank you, Lord Atsuchiyo." She laid her palms flat onto the ground and bowed.

* * *

A strange feeling greeted Mai as soon as she could see the Uchiha Village. It was a little past midday and the birds weren't chirping as they usually should. Adding to that, there were four people at the gate rather than the usual two. Showing one of the men the mission scroll as proof of her leave, another man said, "Elder Mio wants to see you immediately."

It didn't surprise Mai that she was to meet with Elder Mio. After all, after every mission prior to this Mai went straight to meet Lord Tajima. It was standard protocol, she guessed.

The heart of the village, to Mai's surprise, was empty. All doors were closed, and the only sound evident was the occasional wind. Her footsteps seem to echo slightly louder than usual. Making her way to Elder Mio's home, she found Ayaka already outside as if waiting for her arrival. Standing up, and with her mouth formed into a line, Ayaka said, "Come." before turning and walking into the home.

Mai followed suit. The Uchiha girl couldn't help but stare at Ayaka's black kimono. It was not normal for a head maid to wear entirely black. But thinking back, all the four men at the gate were also wearing all black. Mai opened her mouth to ask, but closed it. It wasn't her job to ask questions.

Ayaka announced their arrival and slid open the papered door. Mai lowered her head to Ayaka and stepped in. Walking in, she sat herself down in front of the female elder where she sat days earlier.

Elder Mio spoke after sipping her tea. "You came later than I thought you would." Elder Mio set her cup of steaming tea on the brown table.

"..." Mai picked at the hem of the maroon kimono shirt she wore. "My apologies, Elder Mio. There were some... complications." She thought back to the white haired man, the gray eyed girl, the servant, and the Daimyo.

Elder Mio's eyes scanned the child's face and narrowed her eyes at the purple-blue bruise on her left temple. "Hmm." Elder Mio hummed. "You should be more careful next time." She gestured to Mai's bruise. The blotch of blue and purple looked as if a painter accidentally spilled paint on his perfectly white canvas.

Mai immediately brought her hand up to her left temple to where the white haired man had stricken her. "I will." Mai said and made a mental note to check it later. Quickly, her eyes laid on the female elders black kimono wrapped firmly around her body neatly and respectfully. Her brows furrowed with question. "...Did someone pass?" She finally asked looking back up to the elder's face.

Elder Mio's mouth formed into a line, almost mirroring Ayaka's. The moment before Elder Mio's answer felt too long to just be three seconds, like time had stalled itself. "...Lord Tajima succumbed to his battle wound two days ago."

 _What?_ Her face fell. Her brows un-furrowed themselves. All her facial muscles lost their strength. That was impossible. She heard Lord Tajima was wounded in battle, but Lord Tajima always survived. It wasn't possible for the wound to be that great, was it? Looking down at her hands on her lap, her maroon shirt had fuzzed up at the hem where she picked at. Her thoughts, her memories swarmed her mind. The last time she saw Lord Tajima was when he met with her to give her a recon mission, and that was over a month ago.

"Listen to me, Uchiha Mai." Elder Mio leaned forward, and Mai immediately looked up.

Quickly bringing her head up, the Uchiha child gave the elder her full attention. Although, in her mind, she was still shocked and frozen from the news.

"You should already know that Lord Madara will succeed Lord Tajima as Clan Leader."

Mai nodded. But then a thought popped into her head. Did the young lord even know of her existence? She had never met the heir, who was six years her senior, and Lord Tajima never talked about him to her; only of the missions he gave to her.

Who was Mai suppose to serve now? Lord Tajima trained her and provided for her, but no longer can he do that. It's highly likely Lord Madara did not know of her. Adding to that, Lord Madara and Lord Tajima are not the same people; therefore, life before can never go back to being the same as it was.

The female elder could see panic and worry cloud over the young girl's face. Even she was surprised and taken aback when she heard of their clan leader's death. Every time Lord Tajima returned with a battle wound, he would be standing tall and healthy the following week. The news of the Uchiha Clan Leader's death hit every Uchiha alive: men, women, and children.

"Lord Tajima was the only standing ground to keep the Elders stable." Elder Mio explained. "There will be strife within the clan once Lord Madara officially becomes Clan Leader." Elder Mio looked at Mai. Everything about the kunoichi paralleled with her, just like what Elder Jirou said.

 _"Lord Tajima uses her skills on many recon and assassination missions because he knows she's skilled. Perhaps, almost as you were in your youth, Mio... If not more."_

Every Uchiha Elder had a student of their own. Elder Mio had some of her own also. "Had" being the important word. One by one, each of her student fell onto the battlefield of war. Stacked with elder work, the female elder stopped taking in students. While she sat at the latest Uchiha Elder Council Meeting, she could see that her fellow elders were no longer sitting on their cushion pillow. Each of them having a strong student standing behind them, and then there was Elder Mio. Sitting and alone. Even she could not take the chance and sit idly by as the stability of the Uchiha Clan slowly began to crumble.

After a long thought, Elder Mio decided.

"Let me take you under my wing."

* * *

 **A/N (again)**

I honestly just found out that I gave the characters the worst names possible for sleepy and tired, readers and writers: Mai and Mio... Sorry if there is any mistake! I hope you enjoy the chapter. This chapter is a transition chapter, and transitions are hard for me. But I tried!

Definitely leave a Follow, Favorite, and/or Review!


	4. Chapter 4: The Beginning as a Student

Fated to Meet You

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Hi, Friends! Thank you all for the follows, favorites, and reviews! They are very much appreciated, and a motivating force for me to keep writing. Although, I can't really say that since I'm late again. Which I am sorry! You would think that since it's summer I would be uploading faster, but June and July has been busy for me: work, family responsibilities, family vacations, and I moved. I moved!

I'm glad that many of you are enjoying this story! I wanted to upload this chapter out as soon as possible. Do feel free to tell me of any concerns and critics. I know my writing has been sloppy, and I just got done editing the previous chapters. When I say 'editing', I just mean primarily like fixing sentences. Sometimes I add some stuff in there, but I make sure it doesn't affect what I already wrote and you already read.

I wrote this chapter a while ago but never had time to upload it, which is a good thing because the original one wasn't that great. This chapter was hard write, like for real hard. Since the Warring States Period was not touched on a lot in _Naruto_ , I was fighting with myself how each person's, like Hikaku and Izuna, personality was like. In the end, I was like, "Just make them whatever you want". So for the sake of this story, their personality will be made up. Which I dislike because I really want my stories to be on the low ground so that if you put the story into the _Naruto_ universe, it wouldn't change the original plot. But yes, this is Chapter Four! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Feel free to leave a follow, favorite, and/or review!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.**

* * *

Chapter Four: The Beginning as a Student

Mai moved from her home in the outskirts of the village to Elder Mio's home. As her student, moving to Elder Mio's home was the most convenient option, especially since everyday would hold a lesson. It wasn't a hassle for her. Mai had very little things to move: her clothes and weapons. Training started the next day after Mai agreed to be the female elder's student. All the reasons pointed for her to be Elder Mio's student; the major one being the succession of a new Clan Leader. She was a kunoichi after all and was also in need of a teacher. Her previous, if anyone could call him a teacher, was Lord Tajima. Although, he rarely trained her but instructed her in what to train in.

The Clan Leader Succession Ceremony was held a week after Mai's arrival back from her mission in the Land of Steel. All the elders attended the ceremony, and each of them had their own student behind them. Elder Mio made sure to bring her student along with her as if to say that she too had a weapon. She had been the only Uchiha Elder to not have a student in the last few years. Standing behind Elder Mio, Mai watched as Lord Madara accepted the Clan Leader title. Because the Elders stood behind Lord Madara, she caught small side glimpses of the newly appointed Clan Leader. From what she could gather, she noticed he had a rough look to him with long, ragged, black hair and a stern look on his young adult face. Lord Izuna was standing off to the side by Madara. Compared to his older brother, Lord Izuna's features were softer. His dark hair was shorter, thinner, and tamed; and he was leaner and paler than his older brother. Although she never fought on the battlefield with them, she heard that the two Uchiha brothers were inseparable and powerful shinobi. They were Lord Tajima's sons afterall.

The ceremony ended, and every Uchiha walked towards the new Clan Leader to congratulate him. Mai remained behind Elder Mio, who remained where she stood throughout the ceremony, as were the rest of the elders and their student. She was amazed at the size of the her own clan. The clan was not large like a village, but large to be a shinobi clan village. She assumed the Uchiha Clan was small due to the constant wars they were involved in, but the population in front of her proved her wrong. The entire Uchiha population covered the entire Heart of the Uchiha Village, a flat almost open land within the Uchiha Village. She'd seen Uchiha members here and there but not when they were all together.

Mai watched as the Uchiha population swarmed to their new leader. Even then, she couldn't help but notice the side glances that were geared at her throughout the ceremony from the other elder's students. The Uchiha girl deduced one reason was due to her gender. All the students standing beside her were all males and she was the only female. Mai figured they rarely saw Uchiha kunoichi's. All of them were wearing the traditional Uchiha high collared shirts while Mai adorned a normal, dark blue kimono shirt. She never wore the traditional high collared shirts to lessen the chance of exposing her clan to enemies. The first thing Ayaka did when Mai moved in was provide a few kimono shirts for her. She said that it was a disgrace to Elder Mio if her student wore "rags". Mai said nothing but bowed her head and conformed to the head maid. Not that she could deny her anyway.

"Elder Mio." Her teacher's name brought Mai out of her thoughts. Glancing at Elder Mio, Mai traced her eyes to the elder just right of Elder Mio who spoke. "Is this your student?" The Uchiha Elder asked. He glanced at Mai, and the girl dipped her head to show him respect. Like Elder Mio, this elder held an aura of wisdom.

"Yes," Elder Mio replied.

"And what is your name?" The same elder asked after he turned to the Uchiha girl.

Mai looked at Elder Mio, who gave her a nod, and then answered. "Uchiha Mai, sir." Mai could see his eyes widen a fraction of an inch before he quickly regained his composure that if one wasn't close they would've never thought the elderly man was surprise.

"I see." was all the elder said before turning to face the audience as they watched Lord Madara shake a hand. Receiving a congratulation from every Uchiha, Madara smiled squarely. Elder Mio had told her that the ceremony would only last a couple hours, but a celebration would last the entire day. The Uchiha Elders were scheduled to have tea together after the ceremony and Elder Mio dismissed her student into the large crowd of unknown Uchiha's.

For a second, Mai felt looked and felt like a lost child. Walking into the open land, her own heart pounded against her chest. Her eyes glanced at everything: the clear blue sky, the Uchiha homes, the fellow Uchiha's themselves.

"I've never seen you before."

Snapping her head to her left, Mai struggled to look up at the dark figure shaded by the burning sun behind him. Squinting her eyes, her eyes continued to adjust to the sudden change of access light. When color made its way, there stood an Uchiha man. His dark hair grew long to his shoulders, and his tan skin proved he'd been in the sun. Bowing her head, Mai greeted that man. "Hello." Her eyes widened when she remembered him standing in the line behind the Uchiha Elders like her.

Noticing the girl's recognition, the man introduced himself. "Uchiha Hikaku." He lowered his head, although not as low as the Uchiha girl did.

"Uchiha Mai." Mai lowered her head again.

"You're Elder Mio's student." He stated.

Mai nodded. "I am. And you?"

"Elder Jirou." Uchiha Hikaku stated proudly; although, he tried to stay modest by holding back a smile.

Mai nodded her head in acceptance. She'd heard of the well-known Elder Uchiha Jirou. Like all Uchiha Elders, he held and still holds great strength and influence throughout the Uchiha Clan. All elders were prominent strong Uchiha shinobi in their youth and became wise advisors for the Uchiha Clan Leader in their old years.

"Like I said before, I haven't seen you around." Hikaku's eyes roamed the girl's face for any sign of familiarity. For her to be an elder's student, she must've been on the battlefield fighting with him. He saw none.

"...I've been only active in small missions compared to yours, Hikaku-san." She said politely after a moment of indecisiveness. She concluded to keep her answers as vague as possible for now.

Hikaku was expecting her reason; she was a girl after all. Like the rest of the Uchiha Elder's Apprentices, he too was surprise that a girl stood with them. But when he looked to who she stood behind, it lessened his surprise. Although, he never heard that Elder Mio took in another student. "How long have you been Elder Mio's student?"

"Just recently." Mai told him.

Hikaku nodded at her answer. That made sense. It has been a few years since Elder Mio's last student died. "Will you be staying for the celebration?" He asked. She didn't look completely comfortable around her own clan as her eyes jaggedly followed any moving thing behind him.

"No," Mai answered moving her eyes back to the man in front of him. He looked older than her, on the borderline of youth and adult. But he held an air of openness that she found odd, especially when he's an Uchiha adult. Usually, through training and conditioning as children, adult Uchiha's were reserve. Not even an ounce of feeling leaked through an Uchiha adult's presence. The only thing they seem to embody was reserve. The Uchiha girl bowed excusing herself, and Hikaku nodded.

Mai headed straight to Elder Mio's home. What was she suppose to do back there anyway? She walked into the kitchen and heated up some tea. A week in Elder Mio's presence, Mai found a habit in drinking tea more often than before; and within a week, Mai's tired eyes brightened and skin cleared. Tying her hair into a tail, Mai grabbed a plate from a shelf and took an onigiri she assumed Ayaka made for her return. She poured the hot tea into a cup and made her way through the house with a plate and cup in hand. Just a couple days ago, Elder Mio introduced her to a study within her home, and now she couldn't leave the place. Scrolls sat on shelves that surrounded the room and a table. To keep it private, the study was within the house with no windows; therefore, candles had to be lit day and night for those in there. Leaving the door open for her to hear for anyone entering the house, Mai sat herself down at the low-rise table. Setting the cup and plate on the table, Mai stood up to get one particular scroll that she found just yesterday.

 **. . .**

"Hikaku," said the person behind the called man.

Turning around, Hikaku bowed to the man in front of him. "Lord Izuna," Hikaku acknowledged.

Izuna looked at the path where the girl recently took off in before turning his head back to Hikaku. "Was that your first time meeting Elder Mio's student?" He asked. During the ceremony both him and his older brother were surprised to see someone standing behind Elder Mio. They never heard that the lone female elder took in a new student.

"Yes," Hikaku answered. Looking at his clansman, he asked, "Was today yours too?"

Izuna quietly nodded. He and Hikaku have known each other for years every since childhood, and with the two being the same age, they saw each other as friends. Aside from with Madara, Izuna trained and sparred with him. He knew Hikaku was as strong as he was. Izuna looked at the path again before asking Hikaku to join him in congratulating Madara, and Hikaku agreed.

"Her name is Mai. I know you're wondering." Hikaku chuckled as they walked.

"Hmph. How did you know." Izuna smiled glad that his friend could read him. The two walked to where Madara stood during the ceremony, and where he still stood. Each Uchiha made it their goal to at least shake the new Clan Leader's hand.

Hikaku looked over to Izuna. "Did you want to wait in line?" His eyes followed the long line of Uchiha's extending from Madara and looked over to Izuna.

"I guess we should." Izuna's onyx eyes trailed the line and walked over to the end with Hikaku in tail. "So, Uchiha Mai, huh. She looks young." Izuna commented. Hikaku knew his friend. Everything he saw and heard are all saved into a little part of his brain. He never let go of a memory. A frightening and helpful skill.

"Was she the only thing you focused on throughout the ceremony, and not your brother?" Hikaku asked sarcastically hoping his friend would end their prior conversation about her. It was too early to assume anything, if there was anything to assume on.

"I'm guessing fifteen." Izuna looked to the side at Hikaku with a confident smirk.

Hikaku sighed. "I was thinking that too." He didn't want to further the topic longer, and he knew his friend sensed it. For all they knew, she was just an elder's student. But he made a mental note to ask his teacher about her.

Izuna blinked away from his friend and up to his older brother a ways away. "You think the Senju's heard of this yet?" He changed the subject.

"Yeah." Hikaku looked up at their new Clan Leader in the distance. He knew of Madara's ex-friendship with Senju Hashirama from Izuna. The man has been the Senju Clan Leader for a year now, and he wonder what it would the world be like with the two, once-friends clan leaders on opposite sides. He didn't see anything but more fighting.

The line moved, and the two shinobi stepped forward.

* * *

"Did you hear, brother?" Tobirama asked crossing his arms.

The dark haired brother lowered the scroll in his hands and looked over to his brother at the other side of the table. "I did." He knew exactly what his younger brother was talking about: Madara. When he heard of his old friend's succession as clan leader, he really wanted to congratulate him. But he couldn't. The Senju Leader still held onto their dream of peace and he hoped his old friend did too. Rolling the scroll, Hashirama asked, "How did the mission go?" He had no time to ask his younger brother on the mission the Senju Elders assigned him, and that was a week ago. The Senju Elder's were furious when Tobirama and his team returned with the report that they failed the mission. But when told of the half pay, their anger lessened.

"We failed." Tobirama stated with his arms still crossed and red eyes stared straight at his brother with calmness.

Hashirama laughed at his brother's state. He knew his brother hated failing. "What happened?"

"The assassin managed to kill the scholar's entire circle before killing the scholar himself." The white haired Senju's eyes narrowed slightly at the memory of the cup of tea. "With poison."

Hashirama looked curiously at his brother. The mission was more interesting than he thought. His brother did not pluralize the word 'assassin', so there was really only one person sent to kill five men? And for someone to bypass his brother and team until finally assassinating the lone, head scholar, he was impressed. But he doubt that his brother did not sense someone around. Tobirama was the best sensor in the Senju Clan, maybe even in the entire world. "And you didn't sense him?"

Tobirama's red eyes moved to meet his brother's. "Not 'him'. Her." His eyes were steady, waiting for a reaction from his older brother.

Just like Tobirama thought he would, Hashirama's eyes widened in surprise. His mouth hang open while he blinked multiple times taking in the information. A female assassin? Hashirama knew kunoichi's, but they were all from his own clan. Even then he only knew so few. "What happened to her?" Hashirama leaned towards his brother. No wonder why his white haired brother found the assassin late, he didn't expect only one assassin and he didn't even more expect a girl. He just hoped his brother didn't kill the girl.

The white haired brother shrugged slightly. "We turned her in and left." Tobirama had the urge to tell his older brother of how old she looked but he held it back. He didn't want his brother overreacting in why he turned in a child, but he also knew that his brother would understand his reason of why he did what he did. He just hoped the girl had escaped. She did have strong chakra. Although, doubt kept hitting him at his thought of her escaping. The scholar's daughter looked enraged at the sight of the girl. He assumed the daughter probably already killed her by now. And he did feel guilty. She was a child.

Dragging a hand down his tanned face, Hashirama sighed. This was how shinobi died. But she was a girl. He knew his brother wouldn't have turned her in unless needed to. Still she was a girl. "What did the elders say?"

"Nothing much after. They were glad we still were paid." He uncrossed his arms.

Hashirama nodded. "What was interesting about the poison?" He remembered his brother's eyes when he spoke of the liquid weapon. His brother narrowed his eyes a lot but Hashirama could see Tobirama's attempt to calculate a solution.

"...She poisoned his tea, but the symptoms did not show until half an hour later." Tobirama answered. He had never heard of any poison that did that. The scholar looked perfectly fine until he started coughing.

"You think she's from a clan that specializes in poison?"

"She had very dominant traits that are shared throughout many clans. She could be from any clan." Tobirama closed his eyes as if it was his break from their conversation. He remembered seeing her on the streets of the village during the festival. He had felt a few strong chakra figures while he was guarding Scholar Kihito prior to the Steel Festival. As his team followed Scholar Kihito around, he kept his eyes out for any male. During the fireworks, he searched for the last strong chakra figure he hadn't seen yet. And there the girl was standing and looking up at the night sky. The tips of her dark hair were damped and clumped together and her pants were wet. He suppressed his chakra before walking near her hoping to see a clan symbol on her clothing. He saw none. And he walked away. Even without a clan symbol, he knew who the assassin was. It was her.

* * *

Mai put the scroll down. She already finished her tea and onigiri hours ago and stared at the empty plate and cup. Loosening her legs out of its crossed position, she extended her legs out under the low-rise table. In where she sat at, she laid back and stared at the ceiling. Whenever the candlelight flickered, a streak of darkness appeared on the ceiling. Thinking of the scroll she read, Mai wondered if she could achieve more than one chakra nature. The scroll told her anyone could. However, she was only able to perform fire jutsu's and Lord Tajima never told her of one being able to achieve more than one chakra nature so she just assumed one could only use what they were born with. So how could one achieve the others? The Uchiha girl furrowed her brows and sat up. Tucking her legs in, she grabbed the empty plate and cup, and headed to the kitchen.

Walking through the door into the kitchen, Mai found Elder Mio watching a tea kettle over the fire.

"Elder Mio." Mai bowed her head. "I was just about to go and meet you over at the-"

The female elder help up a hand at her. "We ended early." She forgave her student.

Mai lifted her head. Quietly, she walked over to the sink and began washing her plate and cup.

"Were you in the study reading?" Elder Mio sensed her student in there even before reaching her home.

"Yes." Mai dried her dishware and set them in their respective spot. "I was reading a scroll on chakra natures."

Elder Mio turned to the kettle. It was the same scroll she saw her student glue her entire interest to since she introduced the study to her. Within the first week of having her as her student, Elder Mio found that her student had many weaknesses. Mai had told her that Lord Tajima trained her himself, and Elder Mio found that true when she was more skilled in taijutsu than anything else. Her student hit hard and moved quickly and swiftly, while her sensory lagged the most. Elder Mio knew that Lord Tajima held no prejudice to women fighting on the battlefield. She figured the late clan leader trained the child to excel in area's that were needed most and was beneficial for kunoichi- taijutsu and genjutsu- due to his limited time while he was clan leader.

Pouring the the hot tea into her cup the female elder turned around to her student, who was waiting for her to exit the room. Bringing the cup with her, Elder Mio walked ahead, and Mai grabbed the kettle and followed behind her.

"...Elder Mio?" Mai asked while walking behind her teacher.

"Hm?"

"The scroll I read said that anyone can achieve any nature alongside their natural affinity." Mai paused and thought how to word her question. "How-How is that possible?"

"It's possible." Elder Mio began. She stopped in front of her regular tea room, and Mai stepped out to open it. The female elder walked in and sat down at her usual spot facing the door. "It takes training."

Mai sat down in front of her teacher and listened. She carefully set the hot kettle down on the area of the table respected for the kettle.

"Your affinity is fire, correct?" She knew some people in the Uchiha Clan did not have an affinity of fire.

"Yes," Mai answered.

"Nature Transformation, like fire, is just an advance form of chakra control." Elder Mio pointed that out. She knew her student had yet to know more about ninjutsu and chakra.

Mai nodded. That was what the writings in the scroll said also.

"Ninjutsu needs both Nature Transformation for the nature of the chakra and Shape Transformation to change the form and movement of the jutsu."

Mai blinked at the unknown. Lord Tajima only taught her ninjutsu in fire, and that was limited. She knew only of the broad information of Nature Transformation and Shape Transformation prior to Elder Mio. The question was how any of that was possible. She was born with the affinity of fire, so that nature came easy. How were the rest gained?

Her face soften and she gazed at the corner of the brown table.

It was the feel of the jutsu.

Elder Mio knew her student found the answer to her own question. The elder's onyx eyes observed as her student's face soften and eyes looked as if she'd found an irreplaceable treasure. Picking up her cup, the female elder took a sip of her tea before putting it down. "You should rest for the night. I'll teach you more of ninjutsu tomorrow morning."

Blinking out of her mind, Mai nodded. "Thank you, Elder Mio. Goodnight." She stood up and bowed.

Elder Mio drank her tea as her student slid the door close; her footsteps thumping away.

"You're right. She's not good with her sensory." An old, elderly man said while he sat and leaned on the wall off to the right of the female elder. He chuckled. "So different from you, Mio."

Elder Mio hummed in agreement. "She is not." The female teacher found that her student couldn't sense those who concealed their presence even if they were near. "Her attention needs more training."

The elderly man walked over to the table and sat down to Mio's right. "She has potential though." He noted.

"You're saying the same things I told you, Jirou." Elder Mio said to her fellow elder.

Elder Jirou chuckled. "She's a fast learner." He looked over at the door. "Well, a fast, individual learner." Reaching into his sleeve, the male elder pulled out an empty cup. "Like you, Mio."

Elder Mio hummed with her eyes closed. Opening her eyes, she watched as her fellow comrade poured himself tea. Even when they were younger, the man always popped into her home to have tea with her. That never changed even as they grew. It started with him challenging her proficiency in sensory by trying to sneak up on her concealing himself. After many failed attempts, Elder Jirou later accepted that Elder Mio was the Uchiha Clan's greatest sensor. "I saw Hikaku talk to her earlier today."

"I did too." Elder Jirou said. "He told me he was curious that a female stood with them during the ceremony."

Elder Mio hummed.

The male elder put his cup down. "How did it go for her on the mission she had?" He remembered when he told his female friend that the Senju Clan was sent as bodyguards, he could see the gears in her head move like solving a puzzle.

Elder Mio drank her tea before answering. "She returned a day later than I expected her to." She turned her head to her friend. "And she looked beaten. She had a large bruise." Elder Mio raised a hand to her left temple. "I think she encountered them."

"..." Elder Jirou looked at his friend with all his attention.

"But I don't think they knew who she was."

Elder Jirou narrowed his eyes in question. And then it came to him.

She was girl. The Uchiha Clan rarely ever have kunoichi's to the point that the entire world believed that they never allowed female shinobi. Adding to that, she never beared the Uchiha Clan crest on her back like everyone else.

"She later told me that the scholar's shinobi bodyguards turned her in but was pardoned by the Daimyo." Elder Mio finished. "I don't think she even knew that they were Senju's to begin with."

Silence fell on the two Uchiha elders. Elder Mio stared straight to the door, and Elder Jirou poured himself more tea from the kettle. The two seem to be silently relieving their stress from their previous Elder Meeting in the silence like how they always would. But Elder Mio was not done with the conversation.

 **.**

" _And the one that struck you in the head?"_

 _The Uchiha girl brought a hand up to her left temple. The cool dark colors of the bruise had faded and was replaced by a yellow patch. "One of the shinobi bodyguards. His chakra was strong that even I could sense it." She looked up at teacher. "It was interesting because he had white hair but looked so young. And his eyes..." Mai looked up to her teacher. "They were red. I've never seen anyone have red eyes before."_

 **.**

* * *

 **A/N (again)**

I do apologize if I made a mistake explaining Nature Transformation and Shape Transformation. Wiki had to even help me. Lol.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was hard. But the good thing is that I have almost the entire timeline of this story down. I can't wait! From what I can see, a Tobirama and Mai moment probably won't come anytime soon (About 2-3 chapters maybe even 4), but let's hope because I want those scenes to happen too. But I really want to expand on Mai a little more and her relationship with Elder Mio AND the entire Uchiha Clan, so the next few chapters might be a little boring without Tobirama. :( But I will add a scene or two of him because well this is a TobiramaxOC story, right!?

I'm soo sorry if you find some edit problems in here that I missed. I finished moving in to my new home, and with the time I've been gone I wanted to release this chapter to you all as fast as possible.

Definitely feel free to leave a follow, favorite, and/or review! Any three of those actions tells me that you enjoy this story. Thank you all for them. But a really big thank you for all the reviews so far! I enjoy opening my email and reading them. Do feel free to tell me of your critic. I also enjoy seeing that this story, and I, have been favorited and/or followed too!

AND! Chapter Five will be out soon! I'm trying to upload as much stories as I can before school season comes, and it is fast approaching.


	5. Chapter 5: Changes for the New

Fated to Meet You

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Hello, Friends! I'm back with Chapter 5 faster than the all the chapters so far. Still slow buuutttt... :D

I just re-read all the other chapters of this story and oh my goodness am I ashamed of myself that I allowed myself to let you all read those horribly edited chapters as if they were fine. Some words were missing, some sentences didn't make sense, some didn't even have a period at the end. The list can go on and on. I had sequences of many, many heart attacks, and I am so sorry. HOWEVER, I did go back and edit them all. It isn't the best, but it's better than before. LOL. I know, I always say that I edited the other chapters in every update, but it's because before I would only edit and re-read the rest of the chapters before I post another chapter up and by that time, my head and eyes are whacked up by the computer screen. And I usually write when I'm about to sleep, which doesn't help the updated story either. Therefore, leading to many mistakes. *shake my head. Bear with me until I find some harmony on here. It might take a while, but I'm starting to get the hang of it.

This update took longer than I thought it would. But I found out that it helps the story if you were to take a break and come back later. I was able to write easily and smoothly in this chapter. I hope you like this chapter! Feel free to leave a follow, favorite, and/or review! They are very much appreciated!

I never told you all but sometimes I use _italics_ for thoughts, flashbacks, and tone of voice. I'll try to distinguish them for you all and tell you all before hand. Usually the _italics_ are for thoughts, like in this chapter. If I put a dot/period in the middle of the page before _italics_ then that is a flashback. And if _italics_ are within quotation marks " _italics_ " then they're for tone.

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.**

* * *

Chapter Five: Changes for the New

Mai walked behind Ayaka with an empty basket in hand through the streets of the Uchiha Village. After her morning lesson with Elder Mio, Ayaka asked the student to accompany her to the tea store in the village, to which she complied to. Shinobi villages, like the Uchiha Village, did not hold such things as restaurants or inns like normal villages, but they did have a small number of stores and shops. All was done to minimize the chances of secret attacks within the shinobi village. Shipments of produce and goods were highly guarded into the village and checked before releasing them into the market.

There was only one tea store in the village, and it only held so much of a diversity. Entering the small store with a large sign 'Tea' above the door, the storekeeper, an old man, welcomed his two customers. "Ayaka! Good to see you again." The old man greeted. His dark eyes glanced over at the Mai's small stature behind Ayaka and nodded kindly at her. "Hello!" He directed a greeting towards the Uchiha girl.

Mai bowed to the elderly man; although, she assumed he not as old as Elder Mio due to the lesser number wrinkles he had on his kind face. "Hello, sir."

"Is she who I think she is, Ayaka?" The old man laughed cheerily. "You're Elder Mio's student, aren't you?"

Mai looked at Ayaka lost in decision before the head maid nodded. "Yes, sir. I am." She looked back at the old man.

"Uchiha Mai." Ayaka added for her.

"Beautiful name." The shopkeeper noted. "Sounds very similar to Elder Mio's." He laughed before turning away. "I'm guessing you two are here for her tea, correct?" He walked more into his store. His tea store was small with two large shelves that took over the two walls on each side The shelves held boxes with lids to prevent air from entering. Mai figured the boxes held the dried tea leaves. "Just hold on a bit while I gather them for you."

"Take your time, Hiroshi-san." Ayaka reassured. "I have another errand to run, but Mai will be here if you need anything." She turned around, glanced at Mai, and walked out.

Ayaka had told her earlier that she would be leaving her for another errand. That was why she was needed to accompany her. Not that the girl mind, such changes in life comes with changes in habits and wants and everyday life in general.

"Ayaka is a busy woman." The storekeeper's statement brought Mai out of her thoughts. She watched as the old man took out a box from a shelf and set it on a nearby table. He proceeded to gather some dried tea leaves into a small bowl with his thin hand. The soft crunches filled the silence before the old man talked again. "Tell me, how old are you?" Hiroshi asked. "We don't see much female shinobi in our clan."

"Fifteen, sir." Mai answered.

He hummed at the answer and then chuckled at the child's politeness. "Please, call me…" He thought for a bit. "...Hiroshi-jiisan, that's it. You're going to see me a lot from now on with you being Elder Mio's student." Out of the entire Uchiha population, Elder Mio has been one of his primary customers for years. Her large consumption of tea enabled him to keep the store.

The shopkeeper set the small bowl down off to the side of the table and closed the box. "Who are you parents? They must be proud that you're an Elder's Apprentice." Hiroshi asked another question. It was his way of covering the silence in the shop and he was also curious about her, too, like the rest of the clan. Seeing the girl stand on the vacant spot behind Elder Mio brought the entire clan into confusion. Many were still trying to figure out how the girl no one seemed to care about attained that position. Through strenuous memory searching, he remembered seeing her here and there in the village. She would stop by at the local food stand by his store and buy some fruits before leaving.

Mai blinked to herself before answering. It had been so long since her parents names escaped from another's mouth; for the first time in a long time, their names came out of Elder Mio's mouth that it sounded so foreign to Mai. "...Uchiha Ryou and Uchiha Yuna."

She only knew of her father and had small memories of her mother. Uchiha Ryou, Lord Tajima told her, was a Uchiha shinobi. His family was a shinobi family and he kept the tradition. He died on the battlefield when Mai was an infant. Her mother, Uchiha Yuna, was well… a mother and wife. And according to Lord Tajima, she died due to an illness almost a decade ago from where she is now. Even now the questions still nagged her: what were her parents like, how did her father look like, what would her life be like if they were still alive and with her.

"I knew it." Hiroshi laughed. "I knew you looked familiar. You look just like your mother."

Mai blinked casually at the old man. She'd been receiving that comment a lot lately. Well, a lot in her terms of communication. "I get that a lot." She smiled modestly and looked down at the table before blinking back up to the old man. "Did you know them?" Her eyes looked eagerly at the old man with anticipation.

Hiroshi shook his head. "I didn't."

With a blink of a pair of eyes, her feelings dissolved away.

Throughout the conversation, the shopkeeper made three small bowls of dried tea leaves. Mai glanced at them before watching the old man put the box back on the shelf.

"Alright! That is all." He gestured to Mai to step towards the table with the basket. "Ayaka should know what to do with these."

She set the basket on the table but before she could do anything else, Ayaka entered the store behind her. She turned around to glance at Ayaka before turning back to put the three bowls into her woven basket. "Thank you, Hiroshi-jiisan." Mai thanked. Her lips curving unknowingly into a smile.

The old man's smile widened at Mai's use of his name. "Not a problem!" He looked over to Ayaka. "There was a shipment of fish this morning. Did you go get some?" Hiroshi asked Ayaka.

Mai lifted the basket off the table and slid off to the side as to not obstruct the two's conversation and line of sight. She noticed Ayaka's basket had something wrapped in cloth in it and watched as the head-maid gave Hiroshi one of the things wrapped in white cloth.

It was a fish from the shipment, Mai found that out while she listened to their conversation. Ayaka had given him a fish as a 'thank you' for his service before saying her goodbye, signalling their leave. Mai bowed one last time to the old man before leaving the store and followed the head maid out.

It was late morning and the sun was climbing towards its peak. Uchiha's, majority being women, made their way with life through the streets and shops and chatting with others. Many of them were holding baskets with wrapped cloth- the fish, Mai assumed. She stared absently at the basket in Ayaka's hand. If she was still living in her home, she probably wouldn't have known about the fish shipment. What would she be doing right now if she didn't accept Elder Mio's offer? Probably sleeping. Her life prior had a lot of free time.

Ayaka glanced back at the girl. The child's shoulders were held somewhat tightly together. The basket in her hand swung stiffly at every step. Her uncomfort was seeable. Within the past week, Ayaka grew, what people would say, 'fond' of the child. It was great to have another pair of hands in Elder Mio's house. Most of the maids were on leave, either with child or in the late stages of having a child. And best of all, the girl followed Ayaka's every request. She preferred it when no one questioned her and everyone to follow her orders. It was her mistress's home that they were caring for, and it needed to be at its best and finest shape.

She arrived late at the Clan Leader Succession Ceremony yesterday because she found herself making a row of onigiri for the child. She knew that child would come home immediately after the ceremony.

Pity.

Pity was what she concluded for a reason. The child was an orphan. She probably never came home to a snack waiting for her.

Entering Elder Mio's property, the two made their way into the kitchen. "You can set the basket on the table, Mai." Ayaka said without looking back. "But I need you to do something."

"Yes?" Mai set the basket on the table and turned to Ayaka.

"Because most of the maids are out on leave, I need you to wipe the second floor." Ayaka said without turning around.

"Okay." Bringing her hands together in front of her, Mai complied. One by one, many of the maids began leaving on maternity leave; each of them already possessing a large belly before their last day. All of whom, were, at most, only a couple years older than she was. And the maids who weren't on leave already had a child or more in their home and were older. Mai didn't feel any indifference in these kind of requests from Ayaka or any of the other maids. Doing any request made her feel useful in the home. It wasn't authentically her home after all. Not only that, but each of the maids gave her knowledge of the clan that she never knew of- like of Uchiha Hikaku. She enjoyed hearing their gossip.

Turning away, Mai made her way to the water quarter in the back. Because her teacher was a clan elder, she had a larger home with two floors. Although it was normal for an Uchiha family to have a two floor home, Elder Mio's expanded larger than most. The first floor held rooms such as the tea room, kitchen, and study; while the second floor held the bedrooms and Elder Mio's own private study. The water quarter in the back held three large jars of water for the maids to use for cleaning and such. Grabbing a wooden pail and filling it up with water, Mai carefully walked up to the second floor with a rag in the other hand. With a shortage of maids lately, the ones who were still working were probably cleaning the rest of the home.

Stepping onto the last step up to the second floor, Mai steadily set the wooden pail down, watching as the water shifted side to side barely containing itself within its wooden borders.

"Mai!"

Immediately, and not only, dropping the pail handle but also jerking it slightly, Mai straightened her back from it's bend. Jerking her head to look down the hall, Mai let out a steady and relieving breath before smiling at the woman walking towards her. "Sumiko-san." Her eyes lowered down to her large, swollen stomach. "Aren't you on leave? Like the others." She asked worryingly.

The woman, Sumiko, laughed until she reached the young girl. She rubbed circles on her stomach. "After today I am."

Mai watched the woman in front of her rub circles on her clearly pregnant stomach before looking back up to her. Sumiko was a maid for Elder Mio, and like the many of the maids her age, she was pregnant. "When are you due?"

"Soon." Sumiko smiled beamingly. She glanced down at the pail and wet floor. "You know, you don't have to do a maid's work." Her smile began to straighten.

Mai followed the woman's eyes down to the ground. "Even a student has to clean her teacher's home." Mai reassured. "Did you want me to walk you home?"

Shaking her head, Sumiko declined the request. "That's okay. I'm meeting with Kosuke after this."

Mai nodded and stepped aside.

Within the first days of Mai's change of home, she met Sumiko and the rest of the maids. Sumiko was only three years older than her at eighteen and had married Kosuke just last year. This pregnancy was her first, and the woman could not stop talking about it. She had yet to meet the maid's husband but Sumiko told her he was a shinobi.

Mai watched carefully as the very pregnant woman walked down the stairs. Sumiko had always refused any help, even at the latest stage, on simple duties like walking. When Sumiko reached the first floor, Mai then turned back to the pail of water. The rag was on the ground beside it where she dropped it. Picking that up, she began soaking the rag in the water and wringing it before wiping the floors.

* * *

If today wasn't a meeting day, then she wouldn't have to wish that she was in her home drinking tea and enjoying the company of herself. Elder Mio, with a concealed lag, watched and listened as the rest of Uchiha elders talked about the recent mission approved by their new clan leader.

It was customary for the clan leader to approve the mission either lone or with the aid of the council of elders. The Clan Elders were traditionally then in charge of choosing who should be deployed. The Clan Leader, however, had the last say in the final decision and could change anything with or without the approval of the elders. In dire circumstances, the elders voice could over power the clan leader himself. But in the end, the Clan Elders were essentially only the Clan Leader's advisors.

"Elder Mio?"

Rolling her eyes to the elder who called her, she signaled her attention in the circle.

"What are your thoughts?" The other elder asked.

Taking a moment to take in the question, Elder Mio inhaled and exhaled steadily before answering. "We will need our sensors for this mission." She had been halfheartedly listening in despite her lag. The mission was a retrieval mission of a scroll. The contents of the scroll wasn't identified, but the female elder assumed it was a list of names. Lately, the Land of Lakes have been in political turmoil and the daimyo just recently destroyed his opposing side. The list was probably full of the names of his potential enemies. _Men in power tend to rampage when they first taste it._ Elder Mio said within her mind.

The other elders began talking amongst themselves again and Elder Mio faded back into the background- not that she didn't prefer that today.

Half listening, Elder Mio let her thoughts float away from the circle to her new student. Just this morning, she was teaching the child about ninjutsu and chakra. The female elder planned to continue on improving the child's sensory when she returned home today. Elder Mio was renowned within the clan as a great sensor and genjutsu specialist in her younger years. She knew and acknowledged that her skills wouldn't have been as great and she herself wouldn't have been accepted as a kunoichi without her Sharingan.

The Uchiha kekkei-genkai was activated from extreme trauma, and yes, any Uchiha could achieve it. But because women were kept within the walls of the village to have and care children, they were less prone to activation than men were, who majority of whom were on the battlefield. Adding to that, women weren't trained to use chakra as much as men were in the Uchiha Clan; and even if a woman were to gain the Sharingan, she probably wouldn't have the capability to activate it without depleting her chakra rapidly. Therefore, rendering women inadmissible as shinobi until proven wrong- which was very hard to do. Elder Mio fought for her strength to be recognized, and here she was as a part of a circle full of respected Clan Elders.

The words of dismissing the meeting brought Mio back to the circle. Each old man were beginning to rise off from their pillowed seat. Following the rest of the elders out of the meeting room, she was stopped when an elder called for her.

"Elder Mio."

The female elder turned her head to her right. "...Elder Hagetaka." Her eyes watched as the old man walked towards her from behind. "How are you?" Mio began to walk as soon as the male elder reached her. The two elders matched their pace with one another.

"I'm doing well." Elder Hagetaka answered. "I'm sure you are too. And your student is well, as well?" He added the last the sentence.

Elder Mio nonchalantly glanced at the male elder before rolling her eyes back to look ahead. "She is well. And your student is the same?" This whole morning when she reached the meeting room, every elder had asked her questions about her student: why her? Is she skilled?-

"I didn't think you would take another one in." Hagetaka said.

Mio smiled. "Mai and I are rather similar." She indirectly quoted Jirou.

"Is that the only reason?" Hagetaka asked with obvious skepticism. The two of them were still looking and walking ahead toward the exit of the Uchiha Center.

Mio blinked before answering. She knew Hagetaka only wanted assurance. Like her and all the elders, he only wanted stability in the clan. Although, their ideals and philosophies differed; and that, she knew, could cause problems unless they found a common ground. Turning her head to her right, Mio looked at her fellow elder. "She's a kunoichi and she needs a teacher. I also haven't had a student in a while." She said her reason. "Lord Tajima trained her before, why not continue that legacy." That was part of her reason. The other was walking right beside her.

Opening the door, the two elders exited the large building. The Uchiha Center was used for meetings usually for the elders and Clan Leader and anyone meeting with them. It also held the Clan Leader's office and important scrolls. Turning back to Elder Hagetaka, Mio could see the acceptance when his mouth straightened and when he nodded his goodbye. The rest of the elders had already walked ahead off in the direction of their own home and Elder Mio did the same.

Her first few steps had her mind free of thoughts before they eventually plagued her mind. It was amazing how she wouldn't have met Mai if it wasn't for Lord Tajima's wound. Wasn't it because of that?

Elder Mio slowed her pace.

No, it wasn't because of that. The elder meeting would've still happen.

 _"Hikaku may be strong, but there is another Uchiha who has experience in reconnaissance and assassination. Lord Tajima assigns her missions himself… Lord Tajima uses her skills on many recon and assassination missions because he knows she's skilled. Perhaps, almost as you were in your youth, Mio… If not more."_

Mio scoffed. "...Jirou, you scheming bastard." Mio said before picking up her pace back to its normal one.

How was she so oblivious to that man's taunt.

" _Perhaps, almost as you were in your youth, Mio… If not more."_

She could hear Jirou in her thoughts. That man was always reading through her and ahead of her. Making plans for the future without her knowing while using her as if she was a pawn.

She knew Jirou meant no harm. Knowing that man, he probably wanted her to take another student in after so long. And she took in Mai- just like he planned.

Shaking her head before laughing softly. "You better have a good reason for this." She told the man kilometers away.

* * *

Mai wiped dry the last puddle of water on the wooden ground and stood up. Tightening her loose tail, she extended and stretched her arms above her with a rag in hand. Looking back at her work, she smiled and took a few moments to admire it. Her smile fell when she heard the light sound of the house door opening.

Closing her eyes, Mai carefully let her sensing chakra slowly and finely crawl throughout the entire property. Just like how Elder Mio taught her.

"Elder Mio!" She whispered and quickly grabbed the wooden pail before running down the stairs careful to not let any water spill. Dashing through the house, Mai was halfway to the water quarter when Elder Mio stopped her.

"Mai." Elder Mio's voice neutral.

Stopping in her tracks, Mai turned and bowed. "Elder Mio." She set the pail down behind her legs. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Elder Mio glanced at the pail and back at the girl. "You were using sensory earlier."

Mai tried to smile with her lips closed to hide her delight but failed and her lips expanded showing a bright smile with teeth. Bringing her eyes to the ground, Mai replied, "Yes, I did."

"Good job." Elder Mio let an ounce of feeling through into the two words.

Mai was still smiling until it hit her. Blinking up to her teacher, she asked, "H-How did you know?" Did she do a bad job at sensing? What did she miss?

"A good sensor can sense. A great sensor can sense what a person is doing." Elder Mio explained. "With practice, you'll be able to sense that. And more." The female elder looked at the girl: eyes wide and accepting, ears perked and concentrating. Her student was like an innocent child entranced in learning about the new world. "Get ready. I have a lesson for you after you put that away." Her eyes moved to the pail behind the girl.

Snapping out of her entrancement, Mai nodded. "Yes, Elder Mio."

Quickly and eagerly, she picked up the pail and quickly walked to the water quarter. The water quarter connected straight to the back land of Elder Mio's property, and the maids would dump excess water into the stream nearby or do laundry there in the freshwater. Dumping the water into the stream, Mai quickly walked back into the home and set the pail down on the ground before walking right back out where she came from.

Lessons with Elder Mio were always outside behind her home. Which was justifiable because there was a stream and trees to practice with and on. Adjusting her sandal shoes correctly, she waited for Elder Mio. She was going to get another lesson today. Lessons with Elder Mio fascinated Mai. Elder Mio only taught her on sensory so far, but never was it boring. She heard that Elder Mio was and is one of the Uchiha Clan's greatest sensors, and it was proven correct through her teachings. The female elder was precise with her words, and learning to correctly sense, gave Mai a nostalgic feeling. She could sense someone hundreds of kilometers over kilometers away with complete concentration than before.

Undoing her tail, she redid it into a neater one. Wiping and drying the floors made stray, black hairs fall out. Out of another door, Elder Mio walk onto the grass. Her fragile stature was not as fragile as one would think it was when she walked with an aura of grace.

Mai bowed and greeted. "Elder Mio." Her tail flowing with the light whiplash movement.

"I want to focus on your sensory for a couple more weeks until I know you're proficient enough in it." Elder Mio explained her plan. "A shinobi in the area of what you're more focused on will need it. But it's also a universal need. After sensory will be ninjutsu..."

Mai's eyes brightened at the plan. So this was what having a teacher was like.

"I expect you to improve on your taijutsu outside of these lessons. Lord Tajima made sure you knew how to fight, I know that, correct?"

Mai nodded. Out of all the little lessons with Lord Tajima, they mainly comprised of taijutsu. But even the lessons weren't enough and Mai had to train individually in her large amount of free time- although that was expected.

Elder Mio told her to sit down and sense everything around her, and Mai complied. Crossing her legs, she set her hands down on her lap and closed her eyes. With concentration, she let her sensory chakra crawl over the grass and around the trees to beyond the property and to the next. She let her chakra crawl out further and further.

"How far can you sense?" Elder Mio asked almost sounding distances away rather than the few feet she was.

Opening her eyes and losing concentration, Mai answered, "The entire village and few more kilometers." She looked up to Elder Mio to find her sitting on the grass also.

Elder Mio hummed and looked off into the trees beside her student. The girl was a fast learner. For her to expand her sensory through the entire village and beyond with only a week's practice was exceptional. Before, she was below average in what a shinobi should have in sensory. "Very good." Elder Mio turned her head slightly back to the girl. "How did you use to sense before?"

Mai blinked with uncertain. How did she learn to sense? And how did she use to do it? For all she knew she just felt it. Lord Tajima only spoke a couple sentences on sensory, and most of it was talking about Elder Mio. "I…" Her brows furrowed together while she stared into the green grass. "I just felt it. Not with concentration like this." She raised her arms to gesture. "But just felt."

The girl was naturally sensitive, Elder Mio concluded. _Although, probably only moderately sensitive._ Unlike Elder Mio who was naturally highly sensitive. But both of the females were blessed with the natural strong Uchiha chakra. A trait that in ninjutsu gave them an advantage.

"Talk to me while you sense." Elder Mio challenged. It was great that the child could sense so far, but it will be the death of her if she needed all her attention and concentration to just sense.

Mai nodded and began spreading her chakra again. "...Are there different ways to sense other than this one?" This technique required her to send her chakra sprawling in all directions. Everything her chakra touched, she felt it.

"There are." Elder Mio answered. "Some people use their own nature affinity to aid them in sensing. While others use seals that allow them to sense. There are people who are just very prone to sensitivity and can sense people almost naturally."

"And you, Elder Mio?"

"I'm the last."

Mai nodded. She could feel her sensing chakra crawl and touch a chakra signature. Because she wasn't using all her concentration, it took longer for her to cover ground. "This technique, where did you learn it from?"

Elder Mio flattened her kimono sleeve onto her lap. "My teacher. This is a very universal technique. Many sensors use it."

Mai nodded, listening while she continued to let her chakra to sprawl.

"How far are you?" Elder Mio asked.

"Almost to the border." Mai carefully said as if a word would disrupt her chakra and make it fall back.

While her student was sensing, Elder Mio was also too. She could feel her student's chakra crawl back at every word she spoke and at every word she was listening to. At the pause of each word, her chakra would climb forward before it was pulled back due to lack of concentration. "Continue sensing. I will be right back."

Mai nodded and watched as her teacher rose up and walked into her home. _I should've brought tea for her._ She cursed herself for her blindness. But she continued to sense, allowing all her focus to concentrate on her chakra and feel as it passed every chakra signature that were of the Uchiha population. Her concentration was disturbed when she heard Elder Mio's footsteps near her on the grass. Looking up to the elder, she watched as she set lit candle on the grass. Looking back up to the elder, Mai's face spoke all the questions she had: What is that? What is it for?

The sun had yet to set. There was no need for a candle yet.

"Watch the candle flame while you sense." Elder Mio said. "It will help you with your attention. And report to me how far and long you can sense while you do this."

Mai, getting the note that her teacher was leaving, nodded. "Yes, Elder Mio." She looked at the fire that came to a point at the tip and glanced at her teacher leaving before looking back at the flame.

* * *

 **A/N (again)**

I hope this chapter is good. I think I got the editing correct, right?

Sorry no Tobirama yet! Although I really want a scene of him, but I'm starting to like writing scenes with Elder Mio, Mai, and Ayaka, and everyone in the Uchiha Village.

Did you guys like the training exercise with the fire? I remember watching this documentary on shinobi, and one thing they did to improve their attention was to concentrate on a candle flame. I thought it was amazing!

But yes! Anyway! Feel free to leave a follow, favorite, and/or review!


	6. Chapter 6: Candlelight

Fated to Meet You

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Hello, Friends! I'm going to say it again: Sorry! I am very, very sorry for this very late update. As you all probably know by now, school has started. Sooo much homework and studying! BUT, here's Chapter Six!

I stumbled upon Naruto after so long and the feelings hit me again. I was bawling because you know what scene I decided to randomly click on: the war and then Neji...*Sobs and sobs again*

I hope you like the chapter. These transitioning chapters and parts of the story are soo hard, but they're very much needed for clarity and all that. So just bear with me. I'm thinking these transitioning chapters might take a couple more chapters. If you're you're impatient like me, I know how you feel when you want to get to the action. But we have to wait, friends. Also, to make these transitioning chapters quick, I will be skipping long periods of time.

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.**

* * *

Chapter Six: Candlelight

It was difficult.

She thought it was going to be easy. You just had to look at the flame and sense. Nothing more, nothing less. Mai didn't say a word, but her chakra still fell back. Like when every word was released while communicating with Elder Mio her chakra would fall back, the same would happen when the flame so much as flickered or the light so much as convert from yellow to orange.

Mai had pulled forth all her concentration onto the flame that she only noticed the sky had turned dark when the night wind blew the flame out. And a sense of panic spread throughout her veins until it had balanced out.

Had she been sitting there for that long?

She brought her hands up to rub her eyes. They stung foreignly and uncomfortably. Waiting until she could see the distinct outlines of the trees in the distance, Mai rose up from the ground. Picking up the candle, the sound of gently crushed grass accompanied her steps. Gently and quietly Mai opened the door to enter the home. Her footsteps creaked lightly on the wooden floors. Ayaka and the rest of the maids had gone home to their families. The empty, large house made her footsteps echo through its empty halls. Pausing to see objects of home in the dark night, Mai gently walked to the kitchen. It wasn't unusual for the halls to be dark and barely seeable. When anyone needed to move through the night, a candle would have to accompany them. Setting the candle quietly on a table, her hands searched for the familiar sticks that Ayaka would use to light the fire for tea. The light sound of skin on wood seem to echo into the darkness.

She found nothing.

Mai turned around to face the hallway. She could make out bits of the far staircase thanks to the moon's light. _Should I report to Elder Mio now?_ She thought to herself. Abandoning her candle, Mai carefully walked straight towards the staircase. Once she reached the foot of the staircase, Mai grasped onto the wall.

"I can report to Elder Mio tomorrow." Mai whispered to herself before she carefully lifted her foot onto a higher stair step.

* * *

"Do you think the Uchiha Clan will ignite a frontal battle with us, Team Captain?" Jun asked Tobirama. They two of them and Kaito had gathered to plan their next mission.

Tobirama with his arms crossed in front of him answered, "Not anytime soon." Tension was still present even after a couple weeks when news of the new Uchiha Clan Leader hit their Senju Village. But Tobirama knew the Uchiha Clan wouldn't do anything on a large scale like a frontal battle until later. Although, to his annoyance, he didn't know when later was.

Jun nodded his head before leaning back. "...Maahh, Takeshi-senpai is late, again." The younger Senju slumped into his pillow-seat.

"Give him time, Jun." Kaito said. The older Senju glanced at their team captain. As per usual, the white haired senju sat still with his arms crossed over his chest. Kaito knew his team captain did not tolerate tardiness- in fact, he did not tolerate any rule to be broken. But Takeshi has been an exception for a while. A while too long. It wouldn't surprise Kaito if their team captain scolds his teammate after this meeting. Immediately after his thought, the door slid open and entered in their last teammate.

"Senpai!" Jun perked up in his seat beamingly.

"Sorry for my tardy." Takeshi said respectfully and primarily towards their team captain.

The white haired team captain nodded for the late teammate to sit and began explaining their upcoming mission. The four Senju shinobi had been working as a team ever since Hashirama became clan leader, going mostly on bodyguard and high-ranking missions. It surprised each shinobi how compatible they were to each other, especially how compatible the three were to their team captain. The white haired Senju heir was well-known throughout the clan as rather cold and distant. But as their team began to form, the three dark hair Senju's noticed that their team captain was also human. A self-secluded human.

* * *

Ayaka sent her out on an errand again. This time not for tea but for rice. Normally, these kind of errands were for the maids, but most of them were out on their child leave. In the Uchiha Village, rice was sold in one store. There was no price on rice. One would pay as much as they could. Mai remember barely surviving, and the seller would give her a free bag of rice each month before Mai insisted on paying with what she had left after each mission and buying anything else that was needed. Walking through the open door of the shop, Mai bowed carefully to the familiar woman seller. "Hello."

Turning around, the woman seller smiled brightly. "I wondered when you would come." The woman, Uchiha Haruna, was older than Ayaka by what seemed a few years. From what Mai learned from the woman's chatter was that she had five children: all boys. And all of whom had died in battle. "Everyone is talking about you." She walked around the the table she was behind to in front of Mai. "Look at you! You're an Elder's Apprentice!" The old woman said with great pride as if Mai was her own child.

Mai smiled and looked to the ground and nodded shyly.

"The child that I remember since she was young has grown up." Haruna cradled Mai's head in her hands. Her voice filled with cheer and pride. "Did you need rice?" The old woman glanced at the girl's empty hands.

Tracing her eyes down to her empty hands, Mai nodded. "Elder Mio needs rice."

 **. . .**

Mai walked out of the shop with a bag of rice. Wrapping the bag around her hand, she fixed her grip before walking forward.

"You need any help with that?"

Looking up, Mai's eyes conjured up the image of a familiar tanned man, Uchiha Hikaku. She stared up at him for a few moments longer before looking back down at her hand. "...No, I think I'm okay." She looked back up at him.

Hikaku looked at the large bag that seemed like it could tip the small girl any minute and laughed. "Well then let me walk you back."

Mai looked forward at the path to Elder Mio's house before her, and back to the man in front of her, and nodded. She fixed her grip on the bag before walking forward with the man beside her.

After only a two steps Hikaku spoke. "Have you gone on any missions yet?"

Feeling the weight of the bag drag her arm down Mai answered, "No, I'm still training with Elder Mio."

Hikaku made a sound of amazement. "What are you training on?"

"Sensory."

The older Uchiha smiled. "Elder Mio is great in sensory."

Mai nodded in agreement.

"What kind of missions do you specialize in?" Hikaku asked. The man never seemed to stop talking. But Mai didn't feel like she was being interrogated with his questions.

"Individual recons." Mai stated and left out the assassination part.

"Ahh…" Hikaku breathed out. "That's why I've never seen you before."

Mai nodded. She fixed her grip on the ever-heavy bag of rice.

Hikaku glanced down at the girl's hand holding the rice and laughed. "Let me help." He reached out his hand.

Mai glanced from Hikaku's hand and then to his face. "No, it's okay." She changed her grip to her left hand and wrapped the bag around her palm. "Elder Mio's house isn't far from here." Mai reasoned. It really wasn't.

"Alright then." Hikaku withdrew his hand and walked with the girl. "How old are you, Mai-chan?" Hikaku said with an air of familiarity.

Mai stumbled a bit at the suffix. _Mai-chan?_ No one has ever called her that, and yet a part of her seemed fine with a man she just met calling her that. "...Fifteen."

Hikaku nodded. "I was fifteen when I started training under Elder Jirou, also." He commented. "Are you going on any missions soon?"

Mai silently fixed her grip. "No, Elder Mio wants me to train a little more before I go back onto the field."

"Really?" Hikaku glanced down the bag of rice that was hiding behind her body before looking up to see Elder Mio's house nearing. "Maybe we can train together. It must be boring training by yourself."

She never thought that the sight of her teacher's home would ever give her this much relief in her entire life. "No, it's okay." Mai replied with no reason whatsoever.

Hikaku laughed. "Alright then. Well, this is where I leave." He slowed his pace. "See you around, Mai-chan."

Mai lowered her head a bit to bid farewell to the older Uchiha. She stood there, out of respect, until he was a distance away before walking back onto her path carrying a bag of rice and a sense of familiarity to the older Uchiha.

* * *

"We leave at dawn tomorrow. Be ready." Tobirama concluded his briefing and looked up at his team. When Hashirama became clan leader, he appointed Tobirama a team assigned for high-class missions. It didn't surprise the white haired leader that his older brother would make a team for him with members that were compatible with each other. He'd worked with them once a few times when his father was still clan leader, and alive. They were all very skilled: Kaito in genjutsu, Takeshi well-rounded, and Jun in taijutsu.

He watched as all but one of his teammates leave the room: Takeshi. Tobirama had been very lenient on Takeshi on his tardiness. Beside his tardiness, Takeshi was fine. He was about to call him to stay behind, but the man decided to stay himself.

Takeshi waited for the sound of the door to shut before speaking. He could feel the eyes of all his teammates on him. His Team Captain's red ones in front of him. Kaito and Jun's brown ones from behind in the door. "..." He began. "Team Captain,"

Tobirama patiently waited for his teammate to finish his sentence that seem to cause him much frustration. His red eyes glanced at the dark haired man's tensed forehead to the straight line his mouth made.

"...Have you heard about what happened to the girl?"

His red eyes blinked nonchalantly. Tobirama knew exactly who his teammate was talking about: the girl in the Land of Steel. An image of her conjured up into his mind. Her black hair that faded in with the shadows, her dark eyes, her youthful face. How old was she? She looked as if she would be around Itama's age if he was still living. "No." Tobirama answered.

Takeshi looked down lower into the table between them.

Tobirama explicitly remembered the scene when he brought back the unconscious girl. Takeshi was normally a quiet man, but it was the look in his eyes when he looked at the girl that caught Tobirama's attention. He knew why that girl meant a great deal to him. The girl was around his deceased sister's age. Deceased just a few months ago.

"She was scheduled for execution the day after we left." Takes informed while still looking down at the table.

Red eyes narrowed. Tobirama knew the moment he captured her, she fate would be death. She was young, yes. And the image of her in his head was beginning to remind him of Itama. And even of Kawarama. All of whom were young children forced to fight carrying the burden of war created by their ancestors and live to not see their adulthood. Tobirama exhaled silently. Of course he felt sympathy for the girl. What if she had a family? What if she had a sibling that needed her? A sibling that now had one less sister.

As if he was done expressing all of his emotions, Takeshi cleared his throat. "I'm sorry to bother you, Team Captain." Takeshi bowed. "I will not be late next time."

Tobirama nodded and waited for the door to slide shut before glancing out the window in the room. His mind played back to when he first saw the girl looking up at the fireworks filled sky. No one would've thought she was an shinobi. Even his eyes tricked him. He remembered thinking- wishing to himself that she wasn't the assassin. But her chakra proved her wrong.

Still, the clan had to be put first. Even if he had to cut the girl's life short.

* * *

Mai lowered herself down onto the green grass being careful to keep the balance on candle in her hand on her way down. She just got done speaking with Elder Mio about the candle training and was told to continue the training again. Carefully, she slid the stick to make light. Lighting the candle, she blew out the fire, waving her hands to release the smoke into the air. Letting her hair down, Mai felt the wind on her cheeks as it carried her black strands in the air. Averting her eyes to the candle flame on the ground, the trees around her faded into nothingness. Minute by minute, her concentration increased on the fire.

However, not even a quarter of an hour in, water fell from the sky. And the fire was extinguished.

* * *

 **A/N**

It's been too long, which again I am so sorry! Time flies by fast when you have a lot to do. There are some grammatical and word errors, but I just had to release this chapter quickly for you all. The good thing is that the next chapter will finally have some action. It's just been hard with these transition chapters when I want to show Mai training and gaining bonds with the Uchiha Clan yet at the same time I just want to get to the action and their meeting!

Thank you for being patient with me!

Feel free to leave a follow, favorite, and/or review!


	7. Chapter 7: War

Fated to Meet You

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

Hello, Friends! Here is Chapter Seven! Notice that I did three year time-skip, I wasn't planning on that but with the difficulty of writing chapters even on a monthly basis and with the lack of info on the Warring States Period, a time-skip had to happen. But hey, I'm not hating it. It actually made writing this chapter sooo much easier. If you are hating it and you want to see more of Hikaku and Mai or whatever that happened within the three years, definitely tell me. I will definitely try to write an extra chapter for you! (Just ask. Although, it will take a while :D)

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.**

* * *

Chapter Seven: War

Mai clamped her fingers together and stretched her arms above head. The layering bones in her back popped from the action. Dropping the rag into the wooden pail of dirty water with a _plunk_ , she stood up and looked back at her work. The entire hallway lay wet with a sheet of water. It had been three years since she entered this home, and it was starting to seem like home for her. Although, in the back of her mind, she still considered the house in the outskirts of the Uchiha Village as home also. Throughout the past three years, she made sure to return once every few weeks to dust and clean the uninhabited home. The Uchiha clan had gotten back on its feet after the inauguration of Lord Madara. It wasn't a surprise to the elders that he would quickly increase the moral of each Uchiha shinobi and the village. She had formally met the new clan leader when he summoned her for a mission in his first year. Lord Tajima's name was not spoken between them, but she knew that he knew of her connection with his father. The man held a large and powerful aura that she couldn't help but almost shrink in the presence of it. She was officially acknowledged as an Uchiha shinobi and began completing missions in Uchiha teams. It didn't surprise her that she would be the only female. But the Uchiha girl couldn't help but feel intimidated by her fellow Uchiha shinobi. She noticed their glares on her bare Uchiha crest-less back and the way they would turn with their back face to her as an act of isolation. But she shrugged it off. It wasn't that she held any anger to her clan to not wear the clan symbol. But by not wearing her clan symbol three years ago saved her. Elder Mio had told her that the white haired man she clashed with was a Senju, and she had admit she was scared. Living with Elder Mio, Mai frequently saw Uchiha shinobi enter and leave the village. She noticed that as time went by missions required more and more Uchiha shinobi, and they would come back days after exhausted and sometimes smaller in number.

Turning back to the pail, Mai picked it up and headed off to the water quarters. The maids returned from their child leave, and housework lessened for Mai. But she still insisted on cleaning during her free time. Sumiko had returned the latest. But she made sure to bring her child to show. Mai remembered Sumiko showing Elder Mio her infant son and proudly telling the elder that she named him after her suggestion: Kagami. The small infant fit in Mai's small frame just perfectly when she held him. She was only busy when she was training or meeting with Elder Mio. The apprentice found out that her elder teacher enjoyed company when she was drinking tea. Most of the time, Elder Mio drank her tea silently with Mai, and Mai enjoyed the calming silence. During one of their silent tea conversations, Elder Jirou popped in. Mai did not notice until Elder Mio turned her head, and she almost choked on her tea. Just like his teacher, Hikaku would also show up when Mai ran errands for Ayaka and Elder Mio. She couldn't help but compare Hikaku and his elder teacher as reflections of each other. Both of them seem to laugh with ease and yet at the same time hold the image of a guarded Uchiha shinobi. He would ignite short conversations with her. Throughout the three years, Mai gradually replied with an average of twenty words.

Dumping the pail of dirty water in the creek behind Elder Mio's home, Mai washed her hands and the rag before hanging it to dry. Sumiko's head poked out of the door as Mai fixed the rag hanging on the line. "Mai," Sumiko called.

"Yes," Mai answered and turned to the girl at the door with her hands still attempting to hang the rag.

"Elder Mio wants to see you." Sumiko said with her head still poking out of the door.

Fixing the rag so that it wouldn't fly away, Mai walked into the home afterwards with Sumiko tailing behind her. "I finished wiping the east hallway on the second floor." Mai said after Sumiko caught up with her.

Sumiko nodded. "Thanks, Mai." She smiled genuinely before leaving the apprentice.

Announcing her arrival, Elder Mio gave the signal to let her student in. As per usual, the female elder was drinking tea. Mai bowed before sitting in her usual spot in front of her teacher. "You called for me."

Elder Mio silently gulped her sip of tea. "I did." She set her cup down on the table. Her old, immortal eyes looked at Mai before saying, "Lord Madara summoned you."

 **. . .**

To her surprise, Hikaku was also in the clan leader's office. After bowing, she made her way to sit beside the fellow Uchiha, but also partially behind him. She cautiously looked up at the Uchiha clan leader behind the low table.

Uchiha Madara glanced at the two Uchiha shinobi in front of him. He'd known Hikaku since they were young and they had fought many battles together. His younger brother was especially close with him. The girl, on the other hand, he'd only found out about her existence three years ago when the Council of Elders informed him of her. He was surprised to know his father trained the girl, but he knew his father was that kind of man- a man that would take advantage of an opportunity quickly when it presented itself. He assumed she probably had the Sharingan. But he had his doubts that the girl was as strong as he and his brother were. There were reasons as to why the Uchiha shinobi population was dominated by men. "I have a mission for you two." Madara stated. He placed a scroll onto the table and gestured for them to read it.

Mai let Hikaku take the scroll. Even after knowing her clan's leader for three years, she still felt tense around him. The man was strict and to the point, and she felt intimidated. In every meeting with the Clan Leader, she always seemed to sink her shoulders in and look down. Mai carefully peered over to Hikaku as he read the scroll. He showed no signs of emotion on his tanned face. And she watched as Hikaku handed the scroll to her. Feeling the eyes of Lord Madara on her, she quickly took the scroll and read it. If it wasn't for the presence of Lord Madara, her brows would have furrowed and straightened. The scroll was an approval from the Uchiha Clan to fight in a war for the Land of Fangs. Rolling the scroll back into its original form, she set the scroll back on the table.

"Deliver the scroll to the Land of Fangs' Daimyou." Lord Madara assigned.

Mai watched as the scroll became engulfed in Lord Madara's hands and sealed with his official clan leader seal.

"Lord Madara," Hikaku began. "Why did you allow us to read the scroll's contents?" In most missions, shinobi were not allowed to look into the contents of deliveries.

"When you two come back, we will be going." Uchiha Madara said to the point. "The clan will need as many Uchiha shinobi as possible."

Mai watched Hikaku nod his head and she did the same. The war was going to be on a large scale. The two shinobi made their exit, although it seemed as though Mai was following Hikaku's moves, and walked out of the room and the Uchiha Center.

"Something bothering you?" Hikaku tilted his head slightly to the young girl beside him.

"..." Mai didn't answer immediately, and when she did, she merely shook her head. Snapping her head up, Mai looked up at Hikaku wide eyed, "-The scroll!" She had forgotten to grab the scroll on her way out!

Hikaku's lips stretched and curved and brought his hand out of his pocket with the scroll in hand. "Don't worry." He put his hand and scroll back into his pocket.

Mai blinked, multiple times, and nodded. She sighed a breath of relief before looking back at the Uchiha Center. The large-but-not-large building became very normal for her over time. This was the place she would receive her missions, accompany Elder Mio to and from the Council of Elders' meetings, and meet with Lord Madara. It wasn't extravagant, and it didn't need to be. This was a shinobi village. It was necessary to keep things, especially the Uchiha Center which held important documents, concealed as much as possible. Turning back to the fellow Elder Apprentice, Mai asked, "When do we leave?" She looked up at the man.

"Before sundown today." Hikaku answered. "The faster we complete the mission, the better of an advantage we will have."

Mai looked up at the sky, it was maybe only midday, and nodded. "I'll meet you at the gates."

Mai made her way back to Elder Mio's home. As per routine, she met with Elder Mio to discuss her mission. And as usual, the elder already knew of the mission. She, however, was seemingly surprise her student was ultimately chosen to deliver the scroll. "The Land of Fangs is a half day trek from here." the elder stated.

Mai nodded. She notified her teacher that she and Hikaku were planning to leave at dawn. Being active in the night was better than day for a mission of this paramount importance.

Elder Mio hummed before picking up her tea. The elder woman looked at the young Uchiha in front of her. She no longer could describe her as a child anymore. The girl had lost the fat in her cheeks from her three years of training- although, her cheeks still held their inherited soft definition. The young kunoichi just looked _older_ than the first time she met her. "I don't want to keep you away from gathering your necessities." The female elder lifted her tea cup to her mouth.

Mai's eyes widen a fraction of an inch before bowing and making her leave. "Excuse me, Elder Mio." Sliding the door shut, Mai headed to her room.

Behind the door, the female elder quietly drank her tea. She glanced to her right where Jirou would enter through a secret door before looking away and set her tea down. She knew without a doubt that the Senju Clan would be hired as the opposing side once word gets out. To be in fact, word probably had gotten out already. Elder Mio let out a soft sigh that if you hadn't known her well enough and long enough you would have thought it was a normal breath. She had fought against accepting the clan's participation in the war, but many elders had voted against her- Lord Madara included. It would make the clan appear weak, they said along the lines many times.

"Something on your mind?" a familiar voice asked.

Bringing the tea cup to her lips, Elder Mio replied, "I was told Hikaku was also assigned to go."

The male elder smiled. "I assume your student is getting ready." Elder Jirou sat himself to the right of his female friend.

"The war will begin a week from today." Elder Mio stated after she set her cup onto the table.

Elder Jirou reached into his sleeve and brought out his very own tea cup. Momentarily, he played his memory of the previous Council of Elders meeting in his head. More than half of the elders forwarded their decision to accept the war request, whereas the rest that included him and Elder Mio protested. Even with a divided Council of Elders, the Uchiha clan leader made his and the clan's final decision to participate in the war. "We tried our best." The male elder commented before pouring tea into his cup.

* * *

Once Hikaku gave the scroll to the Land of Fangs Daimyou, Mai felt something overcome her. The power that the scroll possessed made her hands shake from glancing at it. They decided to rest for the day after traveling throughout the night. Hikaku was on watch for the next two hours before Mai took up the shift. The older Uchiha decided it wasn't a smart idea to rest in the Land of Fangs in case of speculations, especially since his back bore the Uchiha fan. He knew that if the war wasn't against the Senju then it would be an easy war. And less lives lost on his side. Hikaku glanced at the girl sleeping with her back against a tree behind him. The girl never wore the Uchiha symbol. But he never asked her why. He had to admit he glared at her back when he found it empty but stopped himself short before she could see it. Why wouldn't any Uchiha not want to bear the Uchiha symbol and pride on their back? He just couldn't understand it, and he knew other Uchiha shinobi were bothered by it. They would talk of it in their free time with distaste when Hikaku worked with them. In the past three years, he helped her train. And he felt like an older sibling to her, especially since she lacked in the shinobi areas that he was proficient in and he liked to show off. The girl was very easy to read sometimes, and it amused him because Elder Mio was not. The female teacher and student duo had a lot of things in common. He never noticed until Elder Jirou mentioned it. Changing his thoughts, Hikaku looked up at the sky and said, "Mai-chan, rest is up."

Mai opened her eyes and squinted at the access sunlight that poured into her eyes before looking down. Clearing her throat, she shifted her weight off of the tree and brushed off any dirt and particles off her shirt and pants. She looked over to Hikaku, who had his back towards her, sitting a distance away in the shade of another tree.

"Let's head back." Hikaku rose up from where he sat.

Mai nervously rose before asking, "What about your rest?"

Hikaku was fine. While Mai took her break, he also took his break- although, he was still on alert. With only a few more hours left before they reached the Uchiha Village, he doubt that he wouldn't last that long. Besides the upcoming war, kept him from actually closing his eyes. He looked over at Mai, who was already standing, was brushing at her pants. The girl dressed differently from Uchiha shinobi. While the rest of them wore high-collared overalls that reached the ground with the Uchiha clan symbol proudly on their back, the girl wore an absent fan symbolled kimono shirt with an obi tied around her waist and black pants that skimmed her legs. Every Uchiha wore a high collared garment but her. Even her teacher and the maids in the home wore one. "I'm fine." Hikaku stopped his observations to reply to her question. She had stopped brushing at her pants and stood staring at the man before nodding at his answer.

Mai didn't understand how the older Uchiha was "fine". They had travelled for over half a day awake, and he was okay? But she brushed those thoughts away like she did with the dust on her pants and nodded at his response. The man was more experienced than her, and she assumed he probably had more stamina than her. The two Uchiha's walked towards the direction of the Uchiha Village. Three years of knowing each other, Mai walked comfortably with Hikaku's pace. She looked up at Hikaku beside her. His hair that was tied in a high tail dangled in the air and his purple Uchiha symbol embroidered overall exerted the Uchiha pride along with his own. She couldn't see the chain that hung around his right shoulder because she stood on his left, but she knew it was there- although, she did not know why it was there. Maybe it was his taste.

"This is your first war, isn't it?" Hikaku asked with the two of them walking.

Mai nodded before turning her head to look ahead. "It is."

"Are you nervous?" Hikaku glanced at the girl standing beside him. She sure grew in the past three years. He remembered he towered over her and he still did, but she lessened the height difference by growing to reach a little above his shoulders.

"I am." Mai answered truthfully. Was she strong enough to survive war? She had gone on many missions risking her life, but this was war not a mission.

Hikaku gave her shoulder nearest to him a few pats. "Don't worry." He patted on. "You're strong, Mai-chan."

He gave her a smile that Mai rarely saw unless he was helping her train, and she smiled back. "Thank you."

* * *

"The Land of Forests has ask us to fight for them in a war against the Land of Fangs." Hashirama told his younger brother. He pushed a scroll containing the official proposal over the table towards his white haired brother.

Tobirama took the scroll into his hands and read its contents with more depth. He scowled and frowned before putting the scroll back down. This was their first war offer in a while. "We have to accept it." He blantly stated with hidden difficulty. Tobirama did not want to go to war again. But changing the shinobi system will not come from declining war from just the Senju Clan. As much as he wished it would.

Hashirama sulked in front of his brother before taking back the scroll. His childish facial expression contorted to a grim one. "Do you think the Land of Fangs will hire the Uchiha Clan?"

"Once the word gets out, they will." Tobirama answered after crossing his arms over his chest.

Hashirama ran a hand over his face. He still held onto Madara and his dream of their shinobi settlement, but where they were now was no where near to achieving such dream.

* * *

 **A/N**

This chapter took longer than I thought even though I'm on break. But the time-skip really helped! I hope you enjoyed Chapter Seven! Definitely feel free to follow, favorite, and/or review. They are very much appreciated! I have to say it's really hard writing and trying to post the chapters before long, long periods of time pass. Every week I'm always telling myself to write, but I push it back and the cycle repeats. Lol. BUT! The emails I get from getting a follow, favorite, and/or review keeps me motivated, so THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I can't wait for them to meet! Yay!


	8. Chapter 8: Reunion as Comrades

Fated to Meet You

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

I'M ALIVE!

Hello, Friends! OMG! Fated to Meet You has reached over 100 followers and 70 favorites! Yay! I didn't mean to update this late (which I am soooo sorry!) but I was just completely stuck in a limbo and juggling school with writing is tremendously difficult. I felt like I didn't know where to go but at the same time I knew where to go with the chapter. I wrote this chapter what felt like a gazillion times because I just didn't know how I wanted Mai and Tobirama to meet (spoiler alert lol) so it didn't feel too staged but also not too weak. Initially, this chapter was actually 10 pages long and it wasn't even done yet. But re-reading, it I found out that it was long because I lagged Mai and Tobirama's meeting. So to cut to the chase, I just summarized what I assumed everybody knows (like the end of the Warring States Period and the founding and the building of the village).

Also, Mai in here says that she's twenty. So I guess you can say there is was timeskip. Although, I wouldn't call it a timeskip because to me the summarization in the beginning of the chapter was basically five years-ish because it doesn't take just a few months for a village to be established. So for clarification: Madara was Clan Leader for three years during the Warring States Period and then Peace Agreement was settled and Konoha was built, created, and growing for the past two years.

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.**

* * *

Chapter Eight: Reunion as Comrades

She could hear the screams of her fellow clan members and of the Senju's around her. News made it to the Uchiha clan that the Senju were hired by the Land of Forest a few days after Mai and Hikaku delivered the scroll to the Land of Fangs. That gave her a few days head start to calm herself, and Mai wanted to say that she did calm down. But actually being in a war battlefield was very different than thinking of it.

She allowed the Senju in front of her to attack her before she blocked his katana with her own and quickly activated her Sharingan- causing the man to stiffen and close his eyes. At that moment, she had an opening, and Mai slashed her katana across his body before retreating a few steps back. The attack was not strong enough to kill the Senju, but it affected him more or less. With her Sharingan, she glanced at the war torn battlefield around her before focusing back on the Senju in front of her. She was still on the side the Uchiha clan had entered through but many Uchiha shinobi had intermixed on the battleground with Senju shinobi. However, around Mai, Uchiha's outnumbered the Senju's.

She couldn't bring up the courage to go further into the battlefield. It was as if the further into the battlefield she stepped, the smaller of the distance she stood from a grim reaper. Bringing her attention back to the Senju in front of her, she brought up her katana into a ready stance.

Mai told herself before the war to not count her number of kills, but she couldn't stop herself. The man was the eighth. And for some unknown reason, she knew a Senju killed equally eight Uchiha's. The war ended in the Land of Fangs' favor after the Council of Elder's secretly assigned a team of Uchiha to assassinate the Land of Forest's Daimyou upon the Land of Fang's Daimyou's request. Many Senju's were retreating quickly- some bringing back their lifeless brethren in tow. The same could be said about the Uchiha Clan. No one attacked each other when war ended. It was kind of a law.

She watched the scene projected before her. So this is war… she thought to herself. The land lay in ruin with kunai knifes and shuriken either pointed into the ground or into a body. Trees were scorched by what she assumed to be Uchiha fire. And the air held a stench she couldn't define mixed with earth and ash. Sheathing her katana, Mai took one last look into the battlefield. In the distance, she recognized a man with white hair on his head. He stood tall as if waiting for the last Senju to pass him ensuring his clan's safely before he left himself. Elder Mio had told her a few months after she became her apprentice that the white haired man she encountered in the Land of Steel was Senju Tobirama, the brother of the Senju Clan Leader, Senju Hashirama. When she finally was placed on missions with Uchiha shinobi, she heard the white haired male's name the second time followed by a few curses and menacing tones by the Uchiha shinobi males. Her onyx eyes blinked away from the man in the distance to take a look at the battlefield before she followed the rest of her Uchiha clan members to wherever they would stop.

 **. . .**

Wars increased for the Uchiha Clan. Parents began to lose their children; for children, their fathers; for wives, their husbands; and for siblings, their brothers. The Council of Elders broke into two factions: one side for the wars and the other side not. And Lord Madara sided with the majority- the pro-war faction.

Mai thanked Elder Mio's tutelage. Because if not for the female elder, she would have died long before her hair grew past her waist. Eventually, Lord Izuna passed from a battle wound he received on battle, and many Uchiha's began surrender to the Senju's side for their proposal of peace. As time went on, the population in the Uchiha Clan Village steadily decreased. Lord Madara declined the Senju Clan's peace proposal and staged one last battle against them. Rumors spread that Lord Izuna's eyes had disappeared, and distrust for Lord Madara increased. Stories such as Lord Madara stealing Lord Izuna's eyes for his benefit spread throughout the village. It only fueled the hidden dislike many Uchiha's had of Lord Madara due to the passing of their loved ones that could have been prevented with an agreement of peace.

Before all the Uchiha shinobi left were drafted into the last battle, Elder Mio hastily assigned Mai a mission to the Land of Tea. By the time Mai returned, the Uchiha Clan was preparing for the peace agreement. The next thing Mai knew, she was standing behind Elder Mio watching as the peace agreement was officially accepted between the Senju Clan Leader and Lord Madara.

Mai watched the peace agreement from behind Elder Mio, as did all Elder Apprentices. The Senju Clan Leader, a tall man with long straight dark hair, shook hands firmly with Lord Madara. She could feel the passive tension covered by what she assumed relief mixed with anxiety. Ripping her eyes away from the two clan leaders, Mai dared to glance at the Senju side. Skimming her eyes over the crowd of rather heterogeneous population of Senju's compared to Uchiha's who all shared similar traits, her eyes contacted with a man looking at her. The dark haired man's dark eyes were wide in disbelief. Mai let her eyes remain on the bewildered man before ripping them back to Lord Madara and the Senju Clan Leader.

 **. . .**

"Kaito," Takeshi whispered to the called man standing beside him. "Look," he nodded his head to the girl standing behind the renown Uchiha elder, Uchiha Mio.

Kaito trailed his comrade's eyes to the girl behind Uchiha Mio and back to his comrade. "You know her?"

"...That's the girl from the Land of Steel." Takeshi said with a hint of lecture.

"Hmm?…" Kaito took a long look at the girl. "I don't remember seeing her the last time we went."

"Three years ago, Kaito." Takeshi attempted to jog Kaito's memory. "The bodyguard mission."

Kaito let the information process like a train of information. And as it did, the muscles in his face slowly loosened. He took another long look at the girl. Is she the girl that-... Kaito glanced at Lord Tobirama standing a distance away in the crowd. The memory of his team captain bringing back the unconscious female assassin flashed in his head. He glanced back to the Uchiha girl. When his team captain turned her in, Kaito only really took into memory her dark, black hair. "...Hmm…I guess she escaped." His face expressing utter confusion.

Takeshi narrowed his eyes at his friend's comment. How could she have escaped? He heard news that she, Scholar Kihito's assassin, was executed upon the Land of Steel Daimyou's orders.

Jun, who was standing beside the two Senju's, heard the second half of their conversation and decided to curiously follow Takeshi's dark eyes to the Uchiha girl standing behind the Uchiha elder, Elder Uchiha Mio. "Oh!" Jun beside them gasped. "Isn't she?!" He raised his arm to point at the girl in the distance.

Takeshi and Kaito grabbed a hold of the younger male's arm and held it down. "Quiet." Takeshi ordered. The last thing he wanted to do was to make a scene during the peace agreement.

Kaito looked over to their team captain and found the man's red eyes staring, although not on purpose, coldly at the trio. "Team Captain's looking." Kaito whispered crookedly and smiled and waved awkwardly at the white haired Senju.

Takeshi exhaled and loosened his grip on Jun's arm. He glanced at the girl before focusing back to the clan leaders. After the peace agreement ceremony ended, Jun rambled the entire way to the Senju Clan Leader's temporary office.

Tobirama was in his older brother's office in one of the first buildings built on the new settlement. His team was also in there bickering on an issue that he did not want to listen in on. His body felt lighter than usual without the blue armor he always wore in the presence of Uchiha's.

"Team Captain!" Jun shouted from within the room.

Tobirama turned his head to face the young Senju- a tad annoyed at the bickering. "What is it, Jun?"

"The girl!" Jun exclaimed. "Did you see her?! The girl! She looked just like- I mean isn't she-"

Tobirama closed his eyes and his white eyebrows slightly creased. He held his hand up, gesturing for Jun to stop. "I saw her." Tobirama thought back to the girl standing behind Uchiha elder, Uchiha Mio. How she survived didn't affect him nor the clan. That was why he let it go. It did bother him that he did not know who she was when he met her. Tobirama looked over to Takeshi before turning back to his brother behind the only desk in the room.

Hashirama was curious about the situation and was already listening in on the conversation when it was only between the three Senju's behind his brother. Apparently there was a girl who they encountered and thought was dead. "It sounds interesting." Hashirama beamed a smile.

Tobirama curved the corners of his mouth down. "Enough of this brother. It's of no importance."

"You saw her right, Lord Hashirama!" Jun shouted from the other end of the room. Takeshi and Kaito covered his mouth before his loud voice could saw any more other than muffles.

Hashirama raised his dark brows. "Who?"

Tobirama exhaled, his slanted eyes looked even more irritated. But Hashirama knew his brother's patience level was beyond belief no matter how vexed he naturally looked.

The older Senju brother laughed.

"Brother!" Tobirama slammed his hand on the desk causing the laughing dark haired brother to stop. "Are we not here for more important matters." It wasn't a question.

Hashirama stopped laughing and returned to composure.

* * *

The Peace Agreement caused the resettlement of both the Senju and Uchiha Clan. It was already a few months after the resettlement, and upon Elder Mio's request, her new home was the exact replica of the old one in the Uchiha Village. It was decided that the Uchiha Clan Village would be turned into a secret piece of land under the Uchiha Clan name. Guarded with an advance genjutsu, the Uchiha Clan Village was unseeable within a dense forest.

Walking with Sumiko through the growing village, Mai took in account the sound of hammers on wood. "What did we need to get?" Mai asked Sumiko.

Sumiko rubbed her swollen stomach. "I kind of want some dango." she said with longing.

Mai looked down at the woman's large stomach. This was her second pregnancy after Kagami, who turned three this year. She looked to her abdomen. Jing! Mai looked up ahead into the road.

"Hm?" Sumiko gently bumped the younger Uchiha's arm with her elbow. "Something wrong, Mai?" She stopped with Mai in the middle of the road.

Someone's chakra just spiked… Mai turned her head to her right where Sumiko was standing with curiosity. Shaking her head slowly before gradually speeding up, she said with a smile, "It's nothing."

"Hmm...okay." Sumiko dropped her curiosity and continued walking.

Mai glanced in the direction of the village that had yet to be cleared of trees. Taking a mental note, Mai turned around and walked back to Elder Mio's home.

Dropping Sumiko and the basket at Elder Mio's home, Mai made an excuse that she forgot to buy something. However, Sumiko wasn't buying it, so Mai promised to bring back a couple dango's for her. Silently rushing to the forested area of the village, Mai cautiously entered. The chakra figure was no longer there, and Mai figured either the person was suppressing theirs or they had left. Either way, she had to be careful. She heard from Elder Mio that a foreign shinobi was captured in the village a few days ago. The person had strong chakra to be able to spike their chakra that fine and high and was well trained enough to keep it sustained to make it "feel" like just a spike but Mai knew it was more than that. She knew shinobi in the village who possessed strong chakra: the Uchiha Elders, Lord Madara, Lord Senju Hashirama, Senju Tobirama, Sarutobi Sasuke…

The soft sound of metal on skin made Mai straighten her neck. Feeling of the cold sharp edge on her flesh, Mai dared not to turn around. Shei swore she didn't sense anyone anywhere near her. But she was wrong.

"Who are you?" The man demanded sternly.

"..." The knife felt like the cold night air on Mai's neck. "...Someone who lives here."

"Clan name." He ordered.

"..." Was it right to say her clan name? What if this man wanted her eyes? A hostage? Mai closed her onyx eyes. "...Uchiha…" If the man killed her right now, he wouldn't even come close to the Sharingan. She had to die with it activated. Mai felt the man's eyes bear into her skull before the she felt the cold metal weapon leave her neck. Pushing chakra to her feet, Mai turned around and quickly grabbed a kunai knife from under her shirt. Clashing with the man's sword, Mai almost dropped her kunai knife. Her onyx eyes meet with red eyes. The moment she had felt death so close to her replayed in a chill throughout her body. She blinked, and blinked again. She looked up to the man's head of white hair. She blinked down to the red markings on the face. And she blinked back the man's red eyes. Senju...

Mai pulled back her kunai knife in response from what seemed like either surge of chakra the Senju Tobirama sent through his red eyes or just pure will power. She lightly jumped back and blinked again at the man with her onyx eyes slightly widen and filled with astonishment. Was the surge of chakra from him? Mai questioned.

"This part of the village has yet to be cleared." Tobirama scolded and his eyes scowled at the Uchiha in front of him. "It would be deemed suspicious for someone lurking in the area."

Hearing the scold in the man's tone, Mai straightened her back and lowered her head. "My apologies, Senju-san." Mai took a breath. "It's just-" She stopped herself. How could she word it to just be one succinct sentence for him to understand and for her to leave as quickly as possible. "...I felt an unusual chakra in the area and came to check." Was that clear enough? She hoped it was.

Tobirama kept his eyes narrowed at the girl. He was practicing a jutsu in the area and released too much chakra. He knew someone was going to check and was not planning on unsheathing his katana. However, the girl appeared and he felt the need to confront her. Especially since Kaito captured an unknown shinobi just a few days ago. He didn't know the girl belonged to the Uchiha Clan until she turned to face him. She was Uchiha elder, Elder Mio's student. And she was the girl he had turned in to Lord Kihito's daughter years ago.

Mai felt the man's chakra waver. It only wavers like that when- She looked up and scanned the man. Noticing a slight limp in the man's posture, Mai assumed that Senju Tobirama had released too much chakra and temporarily worned out a line of chakra network in his body- like a blasted electrical fuse. She looked to the white haired Senju's eyes again and immediately lowered her head again after receiving the same hard scowl. "Excuse me, Senju-san." She lowered her head a little lower to make it seem like a bow before turning to leave. Stopping herself for a second, she turned around. Looking at the trees close to her, she said, "Peach Blossom tea...will help chakra flow throughout the chakra network again." She lowered her head again one last time and turned and left with quick stiff legs.

* * *

She inhaled and exhaled loudly and picked at the hem of her sleeve. Her brows were furrowed into a line, and Mai slumped into her cross-legged position before quickly straightening her back. Aside from being under Elder Mio's tutelage, Ayaka took it upon herself to teach the girl some common etiquette. It was a rather stressing training compared to Elder Mio's. She was suppose to be meditating with the chirping birds and wind, but Mai's mind was plagued from what happened earlier today.

"Where did you go earlier?" Sumiko slowly planted herself next to Mai on the wooden floor facing the outside. Taking a bite of her dango, she leaned onto a pillar and rubbed circles on her abdomen.

Mai looked at the stick of dango in Sumiko's hand before answering as-a-matter-of-factly, "The dango store that you like."

Sumiko hummed. "Maybe it's just me, but I'm assuming something happened along the way to my favorite dango store that's making you like this."

Mai looked back to the trees. "..." Mai looked at the trees swaying with the wind. "...Did you hear that?"

"Don't change the subject! You know where I was getting at." Sumiko stopped the circular motions on her stomach and adjusted her position.

"Nothing important happened." Mai gave in and looked back at Sumiko before looking back at the trees.

Sumiko exhaled in acceptance. "Okay," she extended the word. "You just look like you saw the grim reaper or something."

Mai laughed. The Grim Reaper. She thought to herself with emphasize on the each of the words. "I suppose." She said quietly. She turned to look at Sumiko's pregnant stomach. "Aren't you suppose to be on child leave now?" Although, technically, Sumiko was not working as a maid. Ayaka never put the pregnant women to work unless it was the smaller tasks that needed to be done and there were no extra hands available.

"Next week," Sumiko answered with a smile and gently rubbed circles on her stomach. "Kagami is three, and he really wants to enroll in the new ninja school that's going to open soon." The older Uchiha chuckled. "He really wants to be just like his father. Has his curly hair and everything. I might bring him tomorrow. He loves being with Elder Mio-" Sumiko gasped. "Aren't you suppose to pick up Elder Mio right now?"

The muscles in Mai's face loss their strength in shock. She looked at the sun. "Oh my-" she rose up quickly. Sumiko's laughing voice could be heard in the background. Mai ran through the home and out of it.

The Council of Elders had a scheduled meeting with Lord Madara, and Elder Mio watched as the once pro-war faction led by Elder Hagetaka spoke against Lord Madara's decision to allow the Uchiha Clan to live freely wherever they choose within the village. The way Hagetaka spoke to the Clan Leader, Mio knew Lord Tajima would not have tolerated. Lord Madara stood his ground with reasons, and Elder Mio intervened. "We need not to be wary of the protection of any Uchiha." Elder Mio's immortal eyes locked with Elder Hagetaka's. "Although I, myself, also fear for each Uchiha's safety. It's time to know that this is a time of peace. Different from what we grew up in. And safer." She looked at Lord Madara, who was different than who he was during the Warring States Period and who she was proud of right now. Although she couldn't shake a feeling like this was a facade.

Elder Hagetaka frowned and crossed his arms. "Living within the same walls as the Senju's and clans that we have called our enemies will have consequences."

Elder Mio closed her eyes and inwardly sighed. "We must show our willingness of co-existing together. Just like many clans have." She heard a scoff within the circle. Bringing her arms up to cross her arms, Elder Mio said, "In fact, I already offered to help the Hokage in resolving the issue happening in the village."

"You what?" Elder Hagetaka scowled at the female elder.

"The concept of hidden villages are spreading throughout the lands. And many have sent their shinobi into our village. As you all know, one spy was taken into custody a few days ago. I merely volunteered my abilities to interrogate the spy." She looked around the circle, reading everyone's faces and landed on Lord Madara's. He shot a small, almost unseeable, glare to the wall to his right that was disguised in an air of agreement.

* * *

Mai stood outside behind the door like Elder Mio ordered. She retreated to a wall opposite to where a fellow Konoha shinobi stood. The man cleared his throat. "I never introduced myself." He stood straighter. "I'm Senju Takeshi."

She only knew the man as 'The Senju man who-was-surprise-to see-me-during-the-peace-agreement.' Although that was a year or so ago. "Uchiha Mai." A Senju was standing in front of her, a mere couple meters away from her, and she didn't feel an ounce of threat from the Senju. But being the Uchiha shinobi she is, her guard was still up.

Takeshi slouched slightly in his stance. "It's an honor to meet you."

"...It's also an honor to meet you also." Before the establishment of the village, Mai heard the name Senju Takeshi within the male Uchiha shinobi population. The man made a name for himself within the shinobi world as a well-talented and well-rounded shinobi.

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Takeshi asked. The girl from the Land of Steel and the girl standing in front of him now were different just enough to tell growth.

"Twenty." Mai answered. "And you, Senju-san?"

Takeshi chuckled. "You don't need to be polite, Uchiha-san. You can call me Takeshi-san." Mai reflected a moment of blankness on her face before the man spoke again. "And I'm twenty-four." Takeshi smiled, while within his head he was calculating how hold the girl was when he saw her being carried in by his team captain. The Land of Steel bodyguard mission was around five years ago. That meant that the girl was fifteen at the time. He gave her a mental appreciation clap. At fifteen, she was able to assassinate an entire inner circle of men under their watch. "Is it okay if I call you by your given name?"

Mai gave the man a slow nod. It would be uncomfortable if she was able to call him by his given name and him not being able to to her.

"So, Mai-san, how long have you been Elder Mio's student?" Takeshi asked comfortably and added, "If you don't mind me asking."

"It's been around five years since I became her student." Mai answered- although, she kept a sense of guard behind her answer.

Before Takeshi could ask her another question, the door opened with Elder Mio exiting through it and the Hokage beside her.

"Thank you, Elder Mio, for doing this for us." The black haired Hokage thanked.

Mai took a small step behind her closer into the wall.

"There is no need to thank me." Elder Mio reassured. The female elder turned to her student standing bare inches from the wall and nodded as a gesture to begin leaving. Her student softly nodded back. Turning back to the Hokage, Elder Mio said, "Send word to me if anything goes wrong."

"I will, Elder Mio." The dark haired Hokage nodded. Senju Hashirama watched as the Uchiha elder glanced at the girl standing beside the wall. "Is that your student?" He blinked a few times at her. She looked moderately familiar standing beside Elder Mio.

"Yes," Elder Mio answered and she saw Mai dip her head towards the tall Senju man.

Senju Hashirama smiled at the girl. "What's your name?"

"Uchiha Mai, sir." Mai straightened her back.

"Nice you meet you, Uchiha-san. I hope to work with you soon." Senju Hashirama smiled optimistically at the girl before she nodded all at the same time with her eyes averted. Elder Mio said both their exit before the man, Takeshi, escorted them out.

"Elder Uchiha Mio," Takeshi began as they made their way out of the dark tunnels that led to and away from the room. "Do you mind if I ask you for some of your knowledge?"

Elder Mio hummed. "Go on."

"Do you have any knowledge of the Land of Tea?" Takeshi asked carefully.

"I would assume you would know about that land more than me." Elder Mio said truthfully. She saw Mai's brows furrow beside her and directed the next sentence to her. "Before the village's establishment, the Land of Tea constantly hired the Senju Clan for their doing."

Mai loosened her brow and nodded in understanding.

"Word in the Senju Clan is that you successfully stole intel from the Land of Tea." Takeshi turned his head slightly to face the female elder. "Some Senju geezers are still mad about that." He jokingly added.

Elder Mio's mouth curved up. "Surprisingly, I was just about the send my student to the Land of Tea." She said, catching the purpose of the conversation, and Mai's eyes perked. Takeshi led the two Uchiha's out of the tunnel into the sun bathed earth. Elder Mio brought her hands together and folded them into each other gently in front of her. "I will have my student send you the information tomorrow." Elder Mio looked up powerfully at the man.

Mai watched on. Her teacher never looked at anyone like that unless it was about urgent business.

* * *

In the past four years Mai studied under Elder Mio, the female elder never went against her word. And so when she said that she would send Senju Takeshi the information the next day. She meant that. And here in the present, Mai stood in front of a door inside of the red building, that made her stomach feel like a pitless hole, holding onto the door knob in one hand and a scroll from Elder Mio in the other even after she was given the call to enter. _Act natural._ She could feel the five chakra figures inside the room. Although, she wasn't as skilled as Elder Mio to know what clan the five people were a part of.

Opening the door, Mai lifted her head to face the five people in the room. Three men, including Takeshi stood in front of the large wooden desk. The desk was in front of a large line of windows that overlooked the village. Mai's view through those windows was blocked by two men standing at the desk: the Lord Hokage and Senju Tobirama.

The Hokage smiled, "Glad you could join us, Uchiha-san."

Senju Tobirama narrowed his eyes at the girl. It was the same girl from the forest as was from the Land of Steel. But who was he to be surprise. He knew Elder Mio was going to send her student with the information and he knew who her student was. Like always, he was prepared.

Mai lowered her head softly at the Hokage as a reply, avoiding a scowl from the man beside him at the same time, and blinked back to the three men who stood tall. The younger one, who stared at her and almost into her, gasped and pointed with a straight finger. "It's YOU!" Silence spoke for the few long seconds before the man talked again. "You! You know, you! You from the Land of Steel."

Hashirama's eyes clouded with confusion before lighting with curiosity after his mind replayed the memory a year or so ago. And a curve of a smile stretched on his tan face.

* * *

 **A/N**

I just want you all to know that I have not given up on this fanfiction! I will finish it! And I will update! I will not let you all down! :D

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and expect more soon! Thank you for your patience. I really, really appreciate it. And thank you for your commitment! :)

Feel free to leave a follow, favorite, and/or review!


	9. Chapter 9: Comrades

Fated to Meet You

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

This is by far the fastest update I've ever done. And you all deserve it! Like really, really deserve it! I'm very glad that many of you are enjoying the story so far. Thank you for all the reviews, favourites, and follows. I really appreciate them. :D

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, character or plot, from Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto.**

* * *

Chapter Nine: Comrades

With a blank look and a mouth slightly ajar, Uchiha Mai glanced around the room as if looking for the answer in this situation before looking back at the brown haired man pointing at her. In no point in her life, that she knows of, did she ever meet this man. And here he was pointing at her and exclaiming familiarity. Snapping out of the confusion, she closed her mouth and dipped her head at at each of the men in the room. "I brought Elder Mio's scroll that she promised." She said, still standing at the door.

"Great!" Senju Hashirama beamed.

She was taken aback by the perky tone before she lightly stepped into the room and around the three men, all at the same time avoiding possible contact with a pair of red eyes, and handed the scroll to the Hokage with both hands and a slightly lowered head. Stepping back a few steps into the open part of the room, she paused for a second with her hands folded behind her back before saying, "I'll take my leave."

Hashirama nodded as he put the scroll onto the desk. "If I ever need anything, I'll send word to you. Thank you, Uchiha-san."

Mai jaggedly nodded before walking out of the room as carefully as she came in.

All the while, Jun was staring from the girl to the Hokage. He hadn't seen the girl since the peace agreement ceremony. "W-Wait!" He called out to the girl, who already left. He turned back to the older men in the room and said, "I'll be back." He waved his hands in the air as if to explain something before leaving.

"Hey! Wait!" Jun called after the dark haired girl.

Stopping, Mai looked up to the ceiling pleading for help before turning around to face the man calling her. She lowered her head at the man and brought it up as her "hello."

Jun paused for a breath. "You don't remember me?"

Mai furrowed her brows into a line in question.

"In the Land of Steel-" Jun's eyes widened. "That's right you were knocked out!" He looked at the girl. "You _wouldn't_ know who I am." Jun said with truth before laughing to himself. "I'm sorry." He scratched to back of his head appearing child-like.

"The Land of Steel?" Mai asked, all the while assuming that this brown haired man was a part of the Senju bodyguard team at that she remembered was hired at that particular place and time.

The Senju nodded. "I was there."

"..." The Uchiha stood there aimlessly before nodding slowly and signalling her leave. "Excuse me."

Jun managed to stop her by asking, "How did you do it? You know, take down that scholar."

Turning back to face the man respectfully, she answered generally, "Poison."

"I know but-"

"Jun!" Takeshi called from down the hall. "We need you back in here."

The brown haired Senju turned back to the older one. "Okay, be right there." Nodding his head to Mai, he said, "I'm Senju Jun. Nice to meet you."

"Uchiha Mai."

 **. . .**

Hashirama was still smiling and observing at the faces of each man in the room, especially his brother's.

Jun walked back where he originally stood followed by Takeshi.

"The team of Konoha shinobi was found the in the eastern part of the Land of Tea." Tobirama circled the respective region on the map laid out on the desk. "Two in critical condition, the rest dead."

Hashirama opened the scroll given to them by Elder Mio and read its content. The white haired Senju saw his brother's face straighten as his dark eyes travelled across the sheet of paper. Setting the scroll down, the Hokage leaned back into his seat. "The eastern part of the Land of Tea was a base for a secret organization that was created by the Land of Tea."

Tobirama grabbed his cup of tea on the table before straightening his back. "You think the Land of Tea regime has something to do with this?" He set his cup down with seemingly control after drinking from it. Even if the Land of Tea hired the Senju Clan in the past, if there was any chance of them being a threat to Konoha, Tobirama would not look past the land.

"No." Hashirama shook his head. The Hokage extended his arm and opened the scroll that had rolled itself back together to point out a small separate note tucked within it. "Elder Mio sent her student to exterminate the entire organization a couple years ago."

"Then why would this extinct organization have anything to do with the deaths of our Konoha shinobi?" Jun asked.

"This secret organization's main purpose was to steal justus and techniques from clans. The Land of Tea would then use them as a form of payment." The Senju Hokage informed from Elder Mio's information. He withdrew his hand. "Elder Mio's student couldn't destroy the jutsus and techniques they stole. She couldn't even touch them."

"A seal, probably." Takeshi asked.

Hashirama nodded. "I think so."

"So, you think that the people who attacked the team have something to do with these stolen jutsus and technique." Kaito asked.

Hashirama nodded. "Yes."

"What do we do know?" Jun asked. "Head out there to check?"

"We do just that." Tobirama said. "We'll leave in three days."

The three Senju nodded their head in unison and dismissed themselves.

Tobirama grabbed his tea and walked to the window.

"This team had some of our elite." Hashirama said sadly before facing his brother but staring at the tea. "Is the tea working?"

"Yeah." Tobirama said after gulping down a sip.

"Did old man Hikotoshi tell you about that Peach Blossom tea remedy?" He gestured at the cup in his brother's hand. "Usually it would take days to return your chakra flow to normal from something like that."

Tobirama looked down into the cup and lowered it away from his face even further as if he was bothered by it. "Yeah."

Hashirama turned back to the map on his desk. "I'm afraid of this." He admitted and stared into the map of the Land of Tea. "There's been word going around that lands have created hidden villages."

"And you're afraid that times have not changed." Tobirama worded his brother's exact fears. He let his free hand lean on the window sill and looked out the window into the village that he took a part in building.

The older Senju brother placed a hand on Elder Mio's scroll. "All these attacks and espionage missions. They've been increasing by the fold."

"Then sit down with these hidden village leaders." Tobirama suggested. "And settle a truce." His red eyes unconsciously landed on two dark haired figures on one of the many Konoha roads.

 **. . .**

"Mai."

The called girl turned around to the voice. "Elder Jirou." She dipped her head.

"I heard Elder Mio is sending you to the Land of Tea soon." The male elder said when they began to make their way through the road.

"Tonight." Mai answered.

"Be careful." Elder Jirou warned. "Lately there's been intel that lands are creating their own hidden villages."

Mai nodded at the advice. There was a moment of long silence. Elder Jirou did not talk much, although he talked much more than Elder Mio. This moment of silence, unlike the others, was suspicious, and Mai looked over to the male elder. "Is there something wrong, Elder Jirou?"

Elder Jirou, who was looking ahead in the road, slowly craned his neck to face the Uchiha child. "Just old elder business." His dark, old eyes crinkled into a smile.

Mai looked at and almost into the male elder's crinkled eyes before he looked away.

"And you know, Elder Mio." He clasped both his hands behind his back. "Sending you away to protect you from anything messy at home and all."

Mai nodded. That was true about her teacher.

Elder Jirou chuckled. "Trust me, child. It's nothing disastrous." The male elder said for reassurance.

Mai laughed lightly. "Thank you, Elder Jirou."

The male elder stopped abruptly in the middle of the road and turned around as if he sensed someone tailing them. Mai, wide-eyed and puzzled, followed the male elder's actions. At first, she looked down the road. However, upon finding nothing, she looked at the elder's eyes and followed them up to the top of the red building she exited where a line of large windows sat. Seeing nothing but the line of windows, Mai looked back at Elder Jirou's eyes, who had an natural edge to them, before it contorted into a crinkle. "We better get you back to get ready to leave."

 **. . .**

She had everything packed for the Land of Tea. She didn't need much with the Land of Tea being fairly close to the Land of Fire and it was a simple mission to pick up an item for Elder Mio where the meeting place was set there.

Knocking on the wooden part of the papered slide door, Mai said, "I'm ready to leave for my mission." It was customary to report to Elder Mio before she left on a mission.

"Come in."

Sliding the door open, Mai made her seat in front of her teacher. As usual, her teacher was drinking tea. Grabbing the object by her knee, Mio place it the table. "It's a custom for Konoha shinobi to wear this forehead protector bearing the village's symbol."

"..." Mai stared at the navy band of cloth with a metal plate a long moment before looking up at her teacher. She'd seen people wear the swirl symbol of Konoha. None of which were Uchihas. "I don't even wear the Uchiha fan on my back." She said softly.

"Not on the outside you don't." Elder Mio said. The female elder found out within a week of her student's apprenticeship through Ayaka that her student had a small Uchiha fan the size smaller than a fist stitched into the inside back of her kimono shirts. Even with Lord Tajima's orders to not wear the Uchiha crest, the child still found a way to wear it. And Elder Mio couldn't help but chuckle at the child's silent rebellious action. It was amusing because the child always followed an order.

Giving in, Mai picked up the forehead protector with both her hands. "Thank you, Elder Mio." Mai dipped her head.

"Trust them." Elder Mio said when Mai reached the door. "We are no longer just the Uchiha Clan. We are now Konoha shinobi."

Mai nodded before closing the door. Exiting the home, Mai tucked the forehead protector into her pouch with kunai knives and shuriken. The village gates close exactly three hours after sundown, and the majority of the sun was already below the horizon. But she didn't know that security was tighter tonight than usual. Or so it seemed with Senju Tobirama standing fully armed beside the gate.

Steadily, she looked away from the white haired man to the large gate itself before looking back at the man- although not at his eyes- when she was meters away from the border.

"The Land of Tea." She answered before the man could ask.

"For what purpose?" The white haired Senju asked. He could see the girl cower a little. A lot of people did that in his presence. Not that he enjoyed it, but he got used to it throughout the years.

"To pick up an item for Elder Uchiha Mio." Mai delivered her sentence with much more calmness than she thought she would. Although, she didn't dare look up at the man. She was still scared of him. Twice did he almost kill her.

"You understand that the gates will be closing." Tobirama said authoritatively.

Mai skimmed her eyes over the green village gate. "I understand." Her eyes looked over to the warm horizon.

Senju Tobirama was starting to get a little bothered by the girl's lack of attention on him. However, it was nothing compared to his brother's. She would look at everything other than him. Whether if it was through fear or her sign of respect, it didn't bother him. As long as she knew that the village gates will not be opening until 3 hours before sunrise under no circumstances.

It was as if the orange and the yellow and the waning light blue sky illuminated Elder Mio's latest words to her. _Trust them. We are no longer just the Uchiha Clan. We are now Konoha shinobi._ Turning back, she faced the white haired Senju, glancing at the Konoha swirl on his forehead protector before looking straight into in the pair of red eyes with unknown courage, or what she assumed was courage. "Would you like me to check if there are any intel of the secret organization while I'm there?" She asked not with a tone, but clear like she was given a mission.

Tobirama, since childhood, knew how to keep his face straight, especially in front of Uchiha's. The only person who could make him act out of the ordinary was his brother- and he does a fairly good job on keeping that up. But when this Uchiha, an Uchiha in general, offered to gather intel on a possible threat to the village, he could have sworn his face was about to contort. Like another form of Madara would offer to help. The Uchiha Clan Leader has been silent for some time now, and Tobirama was getting suspicious of him. "This secret organization." He took a broader look at the small Uchiha girl. How could someone like this small girl not even taller than his shoulder destroy an entire secret organization. "Why were you sent?"

Elder Mio's words always had a powerful impact on her. She felt as if she could almost trust this man- although, not as much as Elder Mio or Miss Ayaka. But trust enough because Elder Mio trusted him with information. Looking around to the clear, Mai answered after, "The organization stole a technique that was entrusted to a lord."

"But you couldn't give it back." Tobirama concluded to story for her.

Mai shook her head. "No."

"Why?"

"There was a seal. It couldn't be moved or destroyed."

Tobirama narrowed his eyes at the sentence. If this seal was powerful, maybe, just maybe, Mito could undo it. "How large was the seal?"

"It was drawn onto a large boulder." Mai looked back at the horizon. "I'm sorry, Senju-san, but I have to leave now to be on time to pick up an item."

Moving to the side, he allowed the Uchiha to walk past him.

"The scroll that Elder Mio sent contain the only information that I know of." Mai dipped her head as her exit.

"When you are in the Land of Tea," Tobirama found it incredibly hard to ask but did so. "Find as much information you can."

Mai nodded. "Yes, sir."

Habitually, whenever Mai left the home, her guard was up. She would sense the area in a radius almost a hundred kilometers from where she stood. And not even an hour after leaving the Konoha gate, she felt someone following her. Grabbing a kunai out of her pouch, she slowed her pace until the person was close enough and she threw it to its direction. The leaves rustling from their impact with the kunai as it flew past them.

"You should take the road next time." Senju Tobirama appeared out from the trees into the girl's view.

Mai loosened her guarded posture. "Why are you here?"

"Show me where the seal is." Tobirama tossed the kunai knife back to the girl.

She furrowed her brows. "The seal is in eastern part of the Land of Tea. Within a cave."

"And where is this meeting place for you?"

"...In the eastern part of the Land of Tea." Mai said and gave in all at the same time.

Tobirama nodded and began to walk in the direction of the Land of Tea. Once he knew the girl was behind him, he smirked at the remarkable concurrence of events.

* * *

Once she got the item that Elder Mio requested, she showed Senju Tobirama the seal. The man was an air of suffocation for her. His white hair, red eyes, and permanent frown made him look a mad hunter all the time. The man's blue armor with its white fur collar added to the hunter part. But she got use to his white hair, red eyes, and permanent frown. The man was her superior after all and well more experienced as a shinobi.

"This secret organization." The two of them were in the cave on their way to the seal. "How large was it?"

"Not that large." Mai answered. "At most twenty members."

"And you killed them all?" Tobirama had to take another look at her to convince himself this girl really did that. It didn't work.

"Yes." She nodded at him before stopping and looking up.

Tobirama followed her action. On the large stone boulder in front of him was the drawing of a seal from ink. He had seen many seals in the Uzumaki Clan's scrolls thanks to Mito but this one did not remind him of any. "Make a fire."

"-A what?" She knew it was hard to see in the cave, however she thought he just wanted to take a glance at it and know the location.

Tobirama turned his head to the girl. His permanent frown present and red eyes narrowed into almost a scowl.

"...Okay." Mai began to turn around. "I'll go get the wood."

She found a spot right beside the fire while the brother of the Hokage analyzed the seal. The fire crackled and filled the silence.

 _Jing!_

Her attention caught the unknown figures entering the cave. Quickly, she put out the fire with the water she had saved for the journey back. Senju Tobirama was already wisping past her to hide and she did the same. The eleven men gathered around the seal. Unbeknownst to them, Mai and Tobirama watched as they released the seal and moved the boulder.

"Wait." A man whispered. "Do you smell that?"

Mai looked down at the fire she put out still carrying smoke.

"Close the seal." The man ordered.

But before the ten other men could, Tobirama flew out of this hiding spot to the men. Mai followed after and threw her kunai knife striking a man. Activated her Sharingan, moved and attacked quickly before the men could do the same to her. But it wasn't easy with the numbers against her causing her to watch behind her occasionally. Clashing her kunai with one of the men's katana, she stared at him with her Sharingan eyes.

"Uchiha." He whispered and Mai could see his face grin as if she was a prize. The man's strength on his katana kept her from escaping back. Instead, she let the man stare into her eyes and forced him into an illusion before taking his katana and slashing him. The increasing sound of footsteps toward her turned her around and she threw her kunai knife at the last man. While her kunai struck the man, it was second to another kunai that also hit the man. She traced the kunai's path and grabbed her other kunai as guard only to find Senju Tobirama at the end of it. She could have sworn she saw the man scowl with hate at her Sharingan eyes before she looked away to the unsealed boulder.

Senju Tobirama walked past her into the area that was behind the un-sealed boulder and Mai followed behind.

"We have to move fast." Tobirama advised. "They're might be more of them coming soon."

"What are you going to do with this?" Mai gestured to the piles of large scrolls almost the size of children stacked on shelves.

"We burn them."

"What?" Mai turned to man, eyes wide.

"You said these were stolen jutsus and techniques." Tobirama made hand signs. "They're not ours. And they're probably not theirs either." He tipped his head to the fallen men behind them. "You said you killed the entire organization, didn't you."

Mai nodded at the fact after looking back.

"Destroying them before word gets out that there are stolen jutsus and techniques hidden here will prevent a lot problems." Tobirama finished his last seal. "Fire Release: Great Flame Technique."

* * *

The green gates of Konoha appeared into view, and Mai straightened her back. She looked over to the white haired Senju. Like Elder Mio, he didn't speak much. Not that she assumed he would. A man with an exterior like that, she assumed, would only really speak of tactics. Only people who fought in wars far too long shared the same look as Senju Tobirama. She knew that because she'd seen many like him. Although, they were all elders and he wasn't even half their age. Reaching to gate, Mai reached for her canteen but bumped her pouch out of its clip. Her kunais and shurikens fell with multiple _Clang_ 's onto the ground. With no hesitation, she picked up each weapon one by one carefully.

Senju Tobirama noted her clumsiness and watched her pick up her weapons. Also with her weapons on the dirt ground was the Konoha forehead protector. He bent down to pick that up. Watching the girl stand up, he handed to forehead protector to her. "Where did you get this?" Not many Uchiha had the Konoha forehead protector.

Uchiha Mai blinked her eyes at the metal plate before lowering her head and grabbing the thing with both her hands. "Elder Mio gave it me before I left."

He thought back to her Uchiha crestless back before looking at the forehead protector. "Do you know what that forehead protector symbolizes?"

"...Everyone who wears it are comrades." Mai answered with what she also assumed what the Uchiha Fan represented.

A bird in the distance called almost whistle like.

Tobirama nodded his head. "Senju Tobirama."

"Uchiha Mai." Mai nodded her head to the Senju, unclear of the introduction but still went along with it.

* * *

 **A/N**

And they finally introduced themselves to each other!

Feel free to leave a follow, favorite, and/or review!


End file.
